Goodbyes are always difficult, whether they are to friends, family, pets, or anything else you value. People can become emotionally attached to anything they are accustomed to. This makes it difficult to let go.

It was a challenging moment for Anna when she needed to leave her home after living there for 14 years. Anna’s family decided to relocate to the city, where her father got a new job, and they began looking for well-furnished houses. Anna had always wanted to move from a small town to a city ever since she was a child, but now that she had the opportunity, she was terrified.

For some people, moving is seen as a chance to start over. Anna, on the other hand, was filled with anxiety and overwhelming emotions. Anna believed that moving to the city and starting a new life would mean that she would not ever see her friends, visit the pizza shop next door, or even go to the same school to meet her favourite teachers. She would no longer be able to spend time in her living room, where the bright and cheery sunlight shines in from the window.

“Anna! It’s time to leave.” Her mother yelled.

“Coming mum!” Anna responded, but all she wanted to do was to crawl back into her clean and comfortable bed and gaze out her window in which she saw the outside world she grew up loving.

“I won’t be able to enjoy this view every morning when I wake up and every night before bed...,” Anna thought.

Anna had an odd feeling of emptiness as she looked around her empty house one last time. All she did in the car on the way to her new house was listening to upbeat songs that she hoped would cheer her up. She looked out the car window, inhaling the air of her neighbourhood one last time, waving goodbye to the places she wouldn’t be able to visit anymore. Anna fell asleep while revisiting all the wonderful memories she had.

“We’ve arrived, Anna. Get up!” her mum said.

While Anna was still trying to understand what happened, she stepped outside and saw her new home for the first time. The new house wasn’t so bad after all. Anna ran upstairs to see her new room, but she was disappointed after looking at it.

Her mother, who was following her, comforted her by saying, “A good wallpaper and some decorations is all it needs, and it will be just like the old one.”

Anna just nodded her head with a smile. All Anna could think about at the dinner table while eating, was the pizza she used to have in her old neighbourhood.

“What do you think of our new home?” Anna’s dad asked.

“I’ll get used to it, it’s not that bad,” Anna replied.

Anna noticed how tired her parents were from moving, but she was so caught up in herself that she didn’t realise she wasn’t the only one leaving her home. Her parents had memories there as well. Anna was beginning to realise that there are times in life when you must let go of things to move on and focus on what you have.

Anna returned to her room after giving her parents a big hug for their efforts. She decided to start decorating her room right away. Yes, it was difficult for her to feel at home in this new place, but as time passed, she grew accustomed to everything around her — the busy pace, the constant noise, the onslaught of people — and it all became an essential part of her daily routine, one that provided her with comfort.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 7th, 2023