I did it. I’ve had this goal since 2005, when I completed the Mount Mitchell Challenge Ultra for the first time. I fell in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains that weekend and told my young children that one day, that when they launched, I was going to move to Western North Carolina.

Those of you who know WNC can understand the draw of the mountains. Those of you who have not yet found WNC for yourselves may not understand exactly what it’s about. The Blue Ridge Mountains dominate every view from the town of Brevard. They overlap. They change colors. They are shrouded in fog and you can’t see them and then they show you the most perfect sunset that you have ever seen. They hide waterfalls and creeks and rivers among their folds. They protect and shelter birds, and animals, wild flowers and exquisite native moss and mushrooms. It’s all right there, at your feet, over your head and in the air. I feel like I am still gulping it all in so that I miss not a thing.

My children launched a few years ago and while they remain in Virginia and Washington D.C., they gave me their blessings and well-wishes. They remembered the story I told long ago- that one day I would move when they were ready. They have launched well and I miss them greatly which makes me wonder if I was ever truly ready to separate from them? They have launched and we speak of the closeness of time of when they will come and visit and stay for a spell. We plan to hike and bike and drink good beer. We plan to eat good food that they will cook for me, for like many talents and traits, things skip a generation and cooking well skipped over me. Luckily for their sakes, they both like to cook and do it well. I am looking forward to their meals shared over our dinner table that is now sitting in a new location.

I miss my friends in Virginia and the routines that we had. The hikes and dog walks, the bike rides and shared beers afterward. The easy camaraderie of walking into The Bike Lane and seeing the faces of so many people that I have shared so many years and events with. I miss that greatly; and yet I find myself so utterly happy with my decision to move to Brevard.

New beginnings are hard and scary. And there is an element of excitement wrapped deep within as well. While I will acknowledge the hard and scary, I chose to look at the excitement and goal that I have reached.

My next goal is to build my community and start contributing to the existing Brevard community; to connect and to build the new friendships that will carry me into the next season of my life. And truth be told… I am working hard on getting all of my Virginia friends to move down here or at minimum to come and visit. Brevard will like them as much as I do.

set goal.break goal. repeat