I am officially done with my command in the Navy. ID Badges turned in. Personal storage cleaned out. Security clearances removed. I spent my Navy career based out of San Diego. For most of that time, I worked out of one building where I showed up whenever we were local. Officially transitioning away from my old life is a weird feeling. I can’t help but think how much my life changed over the past six years. 

I technically have ten days left on my Navy contract. Right now, I am on “terminal leave”. But for all intents and purposes, I am done with my six year stint. I started working on my transition process months ago, so it does not surprise me that the final days are here. Some of my family members have asked me if they do anything special in the Navy for when you separate. Not for me. I would need to stay in another 10 years or so before my exit was worthy of a command-wide email notifying thousands of people of my career ending. 

I prefer it that way. I got to see a few of my close friends and say goodbye. Quiet and personal. I definitely have co-workers and friends who I met in San Diego that I will stay in touch with for the rest of my life. More than anything, I am happy I got to spend the last six years meeting new people and broadening my perspective on life. I did not know anything about the military or the people who served before I joined. I think I can say now that behind all the assumptions and expectations for military personnel, it is generally just a group of people trying to do good work in the world. 

For all the fond memories I have from the Navy, I would be lying if I said I am not excited about my future. I do not have any regrets about my decision to leave and I know that this is the right decision in my life. I am eagerly counting down the days until I start my masters program this fall. I am ready to live in a new place like Chicago. I can’t wait to meet so many different people from unique backgrounds around the world. I want to reconnect with my community of friends and family back in Minneapolis and Chicago. Through seemingly unbelievable coincidences – I keep thanking the cosmos or whatever powers that be – Lilly and I’s lives merged again in the same physical place. I am excited every day to keep building our relationship and life together. I feel deep peace and love knowing Lilly is my partner in life. I have a lot to be grateful for in life and a lot to look forward to overall. 

I feel like I am starting a new life in some ways. I don’t ever want to isolate myself through this big change. Even if that is my natural tendency. I will also never discard my past. Growing up in MN, Luther, Navy. Those are the three major mental chapters in the book of my life so far. They have all shaped me differently into the person I am today. I anticipate the next chapter, Chicago, will be the shortest chapter of my life so far but also one filled with dynamic change. 

So as I finish up chapter three, “Navy”, I am going to take a quick minute to pause and be grateful for my past. But I can feel my hand twitching, eager to turn the page and start chapter four.