The Hardest Part

As I sit down to write my heart-wrenching good-bye, I realize that I'm finally at a loss for words. I'm sitting here, staring at the computer screen wondering how I can express exactly how I am feeling. And then I think... this blog thing is going to be hard. It's much easier to write my feelings in a journal, knowing no one will ever read it... but now, I have 17 followers... that's a lot of pressure people. So no judgement.

The hardest part is letting go and saying goodbye. I've never been good at it. My chin wrinkles up, my bottom lip quivers and my voice shakes like a little kid who just fell off her bike. Beyond being an ugly crier, I just hate saying goodbye to the people in my life, even when it's only for a short time.

I was going to be all cliche' about it and tell you how much I'll miss you... how grateful I am to have you in my life... how glad I am that we became so close... how I'm going to miss being your bus-buddy and poking you with a plastic sword... how glad I am that I used to smoke because that's how we became so close... how I'm going to miss dancing and being your biggest fan... how I'm going to miss busting your balls and calling you out... or kicking you in the shins... or yelling at you for looking me up and down and giving me the stink eye... how I'm going to miss doing all of your work... how I'm going to miss you telling me how to properly kill a man with a pen... how I'm going to miss making up acronyms just to prove we are ITK... how I'm going to miss being your WBFF... and talking about why I'm REALLY not on facebook... and how I'm even going to miss all of your white shirts.

I'll miss your laugh, your smile, your wit, your attitude, your teasing, your kindness, your generosity, your friendship and your love.

But then I realized that you would think who the hell just wrote that... So I'm just going to say that I'm glad you're all in my life... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Slumdog Elizabeth Party Pictures

Q&A with Elizabeth

In general, what inspired you to go on this adventure?
You mean, besides going through a mid-life crisis at the age of 33? Instead of buying a corvette and getting an 18-year-old girlfriend, I decided to follow my heart and my passion to India to study yoga under the only living guru of my practice... To find myself and my direction in life...

How have you prepared for this trip, mentally & physically?
I removed the mental and physical clutter in my life. I gave most of my stuff away and stopped hugging people I don’t like... I also got a world map.

Give us a better picture of what your average day in India will be like.
Who knows really? I’ll probably be climbing out of my cardboard box around 5 a.m... Practicing yoga for a few hours... Chanting, meditating... Eating rice and smacking a heck of a lot of mosquitoes along the way... And avoiding the toilets.

How long do you plan on staying and will you come back to Jacksonville?
My return ticket is for July 23rd... That doesn’t really say much. I have no idea if and when I’m coming back or where I’ll be when I’m through searching. Are we ever through searching? I guess that’s part of what I’m looking for when I’m over there... What I want to do and where I want to do it. Maybe it’s in Jacksonville, maybe it’s climbing Mt. Fuji... It’s probably couch surfing for a few months across the country. You and Robert have a nice couch, right?

What do you anticipate that you’ll miss most about the USA?
Oh, that’s easy. Margaritas and hot dogs.

Do you promise to keep in touch and update your blog as much as possible?
Of course. I love the people in my life. If I didn’t, you wouldn’t be in it.