I’m 3, 8, and 11 years old, staring at the brown boxes. Brown boxes that held all I knew, all I loved. Brown boxes that held memories that would leave me with tears in my eyes, looking out the window on the way to a new “home”. They always brought a wave of emotions and unanswered questions; Will I make new friends? Where will we be living now? How long do I have left here?
At that age, the boxes were my enemies, stripping me of everything familiar and safe. Each time I saw them stacked up, I knew more goodbyes were coming. Growing up, change was inevitable in my family, as my dad kept getting promoted to higher positions at his job. We always had his back, and cheered him on along the way, even if that meant packing up the brown boxes all over again.
Now, the brown boxes haven't been packed up in a few years, but the possibility always lingers. For a long time, I always dreaded that possibility, afraid of what another move would take from me. But over time, I began to see what the brown boxes really carried: endless opportunities.
From a young age, I was forced to adapt to different environments, different people, different everything. Every move challenged me to step into the unknown and figure out where I belonged. Change forced me to be flexible, and in that flexibility, I discovered resilience. Instead of fearing the unknown, I have learned to embrace it.
The people and places I left behind didn't disappear, they became a part of me, layering new perspectives, stories, and lessons into my identity. Each move added a puzzle piece to who I am, shaping me into someone who knows how to grow through change instead of resisting it.
Now, when I see brown boxes, I no longer fear the unknown and think of endings- I think of beginnings, endless opportunities, and pieces that shape me. I believe in the good of change, because it has shown me that even when life feels uncertain, it is in those moments of transition that we grow the most. Change built me into a stronger, more resilient, more ambitious, and more open minded person. Without the dreaded brown boxes, I wouldn't be where I am today.
