Today marks just a day over two months from whence I stepped away from my comfort zone, in a major way. I do not mark this day in the normal way, as do others who acknowledge their milestones by celebration. Far from it.

The change is clearly evident, and it is constantly thrust upon me, from the weather patterns to the landscape, from the cuisine to the demeanors of the populace. So close in the grand scheme of things, yet worlds apart from whence I am accustomed to…and in some cases, prefer.

As a boy growing up in north-central Georgia, the impression was set deep within me by my father and grandmother. This was God’s country, a paradise that no other locale can rival. The scent of magnolias permeated the air around me. The sight of endless forestry and wildlife was indescribable. From youth to adulthood, the traditions were ingrained, never to fade as long as I lived.

I felt the stickiness of the resin from our pine trees. I tasted the clean, clear water from our well. At an uncle’s farm, I relished wandering in the corn fields and through the oak thickets. Later on, as I grew and matured, I took to hunting, fishing, and camping, deepening my love of the great outdoors of the Peach State. From the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains to the roar of the ocean at Tybee Island, from the loneliness of the Okefenokee to the bustling metropolis of Atlanta, I never felt more at peace.

No matter where I was in Georgia, I was HOME.

As I entered my late twenties and early thirties, I began to wonder what else lay beyond the state line. I began long multi-state excursions, taking in the scenery, the culture, the subtle differences between the land of my birth and unchartered territory. I traveled by bus to the Northeast and Canada for a spell. I spent more than a week in the British Isles. Twenty-five states in all I have trod.

Then…my world was changed. Completely.

Last year, I have become enraptured with a beautiful young woman. She has captured my heart, mind, and spirit like no other woman beforehand. Her beauty, ambition, and strength made me fall so deep in love with her. I feel as if I am untouchable by any ill will, sickness, or any other mental or physical vulnerability. And it was because of this love that I decided to uproot from my beloved home of Georgia.