There was one person who picked up on my fear more than anyone else and of course that person was the only one who really had a chance at changing my mind, my Dad. We had many conversations about my decision to move before I left, but there was one particular conversation that I will never forget. He told me, "I know what you're looking for and you're not going to find it in Ohio. You could move anywhere in the world and you're not going to find it. What you're looking for is here." Then he pointed to my heart. If you know my Dad this conversation may shock you. He's not a mushy, heartfelt conversation kind of guy. He doesn't even say, "I love you." But he was right. I was looking for myself and my purpose in life and the only place I was going to find it was within myself. What he didn't know though, was that it would take almost a year of living away from home and pushing myself to try new things before I would be able to hear what my heart was telling me.
So I, along with my boyfriend Derrick and our two dogs, Mya and Stitch, drove across the country via Route 66 to the Promise Land. Grafton, Ohio. LOL! What a big shock that was. I went from Orange County, California to a small town in Ohio where the nearest thing was Walmart and that was a decent drive away. The next few months were filled with tears, sad phone calls home, long drives and lots of loneliness. But through all the struggles, I learned to rely on myself and the more I relied on myself, the more my confidence grew. I started to explore new places on my own, driving down roads just to see where they led. I had conversations with strangers (a big California no-no but a common occurrence in the Midwest). I even went to events all by myself, which is something I had never done before.
The more I put myself out there the more people I met and the more I learned about myself. I was able to form a relationship with Derrick's Mom who I didn't know at all before moving. Now she's like a second mother to me (which is good since one day she probably will be). The people of Cleveland are an amazing group of people and I am so thankful that I pushed past my fear and became one of them. Clevelanders have taught me it's ok to fail, as long as you get up and keep trying. They've taught me it doesn't matter what other people think. That no matter who you are you should stand tall and be proud because YOU have something to offer that no one else does. These were the things I needed so badly to understand and it was the city that so many people disregard that taught them to me. In addition to Cleveland, each city we lived in, Grafton, Avon and now Lakewood, have brought to life parts of my soul I never knew existed. I now know I could move anywhere and thrive.
Thank you for going on this journey with me the past two years. If it wasn't for your comments and requests for more pictures I probably wouldn't have stayed committed to documenting and sharing my experiences. I hope you've enjoyed the past two years as much as I have. You can continue reading about my life and viewing my pictures at my Kimberly April Photography Blogsite: www.kimberlyapril.com. I really appreciate your interest in my journey. This was only supposed to be a 1 year adventure. Two years later I now know my whole life can be an adventure. It doesn't matter where you live as long as you get out and live.
Thank you Cleveland for helping me find myself.
Love,
Kimberly
