Neon Illusions

Recently, I visited a part of my past that has played a big part of who I am today. I say it's where it all began. I am where I am at this moment because of the decision to move here.

It was almost 5 years ago to this day that I stepped foot on this ever so American campus. FIU. I decided I wanted to do a semester across the ocean (from PR) in Miami. I wanted to meet new people and study/work elsewhere. 

I quickly stepped into what would become my life for the next 5 years and counting. No regrets. 

This semester abroad, if you can call it that, introduced me to Miami and the big college experience, new friends, and a new love. I feel like once I stepped in the 305, all else became history; and indeed, it did change my life forever. 

Today, I visited FIU as the new me... 5 years later. A lot has changed. Big screen TVs, more students, buildings and .... Then again, not everything has changed. I walked in with a denim shirt, gold necklace, chain bag, and lace bra, like old times.

My memory is excellent, but it can definitely injure me. It can help me remember the best times of my life, as well as betray me by associating buildings and places with people I'm trying to forget. But I was surprised at my ability to disassociate this place from my emotions. I was more focused on reliving how beautiful life was back then. How simple, sweet and careless it was.

Those were the times of our lives we will never have again, and I truly have no regrets of what I did, how I did it or when. I was the best possible person I could have been at that moment, so I can't look back with today's wisdom and edit parts of my past.

The only thing I would have possibly changed is how Dr. Pepper and Pops were a big part of my diet back then. Big fail. The new me would probably say, "Eat greens".

But even that horrible college diet makes me grateful about how much more conscious I am of my health today and it's importance. It's all an endless live and learn. 

I lived. I learned. I loved. I lost.

But if you're brave to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.

(tt)