Moving to a new city is exciting. There are so many experiences to discover; from scenery, to food, to culture.
It can also be a little overwhelming leaving behind all the familiar people, places and experiences, that you know like the back of your hand.
My husband and I moved a few months ago to Nashville from Orlando, where we both grew up. The sights, smells, our friends there — were all familiar. But when our son and daughter-in-law asked us to relocate and be with them and their growing family, we made the decision to make a change.
At first, we were focused on the new home, getting unpacked, fixing it up to our taste and spending time with our family. But once the shiny outer coating of the move wore off, we realized that we missed many things about our previous life — namely our friends and our routines.
I was driving to the grocery store recently and pulled up to the stop light, noticing a bicyclist next to me. I glanced at her bike and the spokes on the wheels caught my eye. The rim of the tire is held together by the spokes, connecting them and supporting each other — each one independent, yet together they create something strong.
When the light changed, the woman began pedaling and I watched for a moment as the bike and rider traveled forward. It made me smile thinking about how it was time for me to move forward and make new connections in my new home town.
Making those connections is really important. Relationships with others are truly the spokes of our world and represent community, friendship, common ground, support and much more. There are so many options available from Networking, to Meetup Groups to Book Clubs to Sports Groups just to name a few, that meet regularly so you can really get to know your fellow participants in a meaningful way.
Now I’m really excited about expanding my circle and making new friends.
I’m also thinking about getting a bike . . . and meeting some people to ride the road with!