No turning back now. I just sent in my leave of absence application at work, informed my landlord that I’m moving out in March, and informed BBBS that I’ll no longer be able to be a Big Sister.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t scary. I’ve had a messed up sleep schedule recently, what with a work trip to India and being in an opposite time zone and then coming home and getting PRK (laser eye surgery) and recovering from that, so I’ve had a lot of time to think recently while lying awake in the middle of the night. It’s easy to get a little panicky at 3 or 4am and think things like “What the hell are you thinking? You can’t do this! You’re giving up your apartment and job! That’s crazy! What about missing family and friends? You’ve never backpacked more than a weekend!” etc.

But it’s not actually that crazy, lots of people have done it, and it’s only six months. I’m financially able to do it and although moving/storing my stuff is a pain, it will have been almost six years since the last time I moved so I guess I’m due. This also forces me to purge some of the stuff I’ve accumulated since my last move.

I have to do the hike. I’m going to do it. My brother and siser-in-law got me a fantastic and very appropriate necklace for Christmas with a John Muir quote on it – “The mountains are calling and I must go.”