Chapter I

Transitions

By Dee Smith

Transition can be described as the process of moving or changing from on condition or another. Moving from one state to another can be a difficult process especially if it is done within a short span of time. I feel as though I am a butterfly....metamorphosis is taking place....transitioning from one phase of my life into another. Leaving an area of familiarity and delving into an unknown territory. Having to deal with apprehension, fear, and anxiety but knowing that it will all work out in the end. Leaving old relationships and forging new friendships. Moving from the North to the South and dealing with different mentalities and different customs. Will my passage from the North to the South be a happy transition....will it work?...will I be happy?  

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I am nervous….I am apprehensive…I am fearful of the unknown.  I have a little less than 3 months to transition from the North to the South.  I just recently accepted a position with my company in North Carolina.  I have lived in Maryland almost all of my life.  I went to school here, got married here, got divorced here, and I work in the area.  Accepting this position means leaving family and friends behind.  I have long roots here in Maryland.  I know that moving to North Carolina is a big…no a huge step in my life but it is one that I have to make.  My mother is getting older and I want to be there for her as much as possible.  My move makes it possible for me to go to South Carolina on the weekends.  I have visited NC on many occasions and I absolutely love it there.  I love the people, the air, I love the southern hospitality.  I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA….lol but that doesn’t mean that I don’t love Maryland as well.  Leaving the DMV (DC, MD, VA) area means leaving behind many long term friendships that have been forged throughout the years…that means that I have to leave behind family members also co-workers that I have built a bond with.  I now have to build new friendships with neighbors, co-workers, family members down there, other people in general.  I pray that I will meet some good folks and am able to live a productive life and build some “southern roots”. 

I am dreading the obvious…packing up this house.  I have don’t have any boxes, no newspaper, no tape…nothing.  I need to get on the ball.  Before I know it June will be here and I will be looking crazy because I have procrastinated yet again!  As I ride the Metrorail to and from work I often ponder what my life will be like down south.  I often wonder if I will enjoy life or will I be homesick.  I also think about how my commute to and from work in NC will be considerably shorter.  Lord knows that I will not miss this hour and a half commute each way every day.  That is one of the things that I am looking forward to…a shorter commute.  I have a 14 year old son so a shorter commute will allow me to spend more time after work with him…if he allows me to lol.  He is at the age where he wants me to spend less and less time with him unless there is something that he wants to do and it requires me to be with him.  It’s ok though.  I value the time that I do spend with him.  That is another thing that I worry about…whether or not he will make friends easily and also the activities that he will be able to participate in.  I have to find out where the movie theaters are, the zoo, the shopping malls, the museums, the parks…EVERYTHING.  It’s all good though.  I am a survivor and I will make it.  I made it through a divorce unscathed and I will make it through this move unscathed as well.  Where will I live?  Where are the nice areas?  Where are the areas that have reasonably priced homes?  These are some of the things that I have to consider when taking this “Leap of Faith”.  I have checked out some areas online but one can really tell how the area is until it is actually seen in person.  I have been talking to family members that live down that way.  I have been getting a lot of feedback…great feedback but I still have to check out the areas for myself because what may seem nice to others may not be nice to me.  I have not had to move in over 10 years and it was just moving from one city in Maryland to another.  Also at that time I was married so my husband at the time did most of the moving and coordinating.  It will work out….I am confident that it will.