Dear Asheville,
I release you. It breaks my heart to let you go, but I must.
You are only an illusion.
You tricked me with your come-hither energy.
You won me over, body and soul.
You seduced me and all I could think about was you.
I had to come to you. I have to move to you. It burned me up inside. I became obsessed with mountains, craft beer, herbs, cowboy boots, beards, bears, and all types of New Age healing.
You promised me all that and more. So, I moved.
On May 1, 2009, I left Orlando for you.
The first year our relationship was fantastic.
I explored, I reveled in the mountain energy eager to find my community, where I belong. I got a great job with a nutrionist. I fell deeply and madly in love with a bearded god.
Cold Mountain beer flowed in abundance. Herb school became a reality. Experiencing all four seasons and having my own personal garden gave me utter joy.
Then things began to unravel.
I started 2nd guessing herb school, something didn't seem right, especially the lack of learning.
I was let go from my job because she couldn't afford an assistant, which spiraled into the whole
"I'm in Asheville and I can't afford ______ Syndrome".
I got 2 part time jobs to supplement my income. I was split between 2 homes dating the bearded god. 2 jobs, 2 homes, and herb school all started to make me very, very grouchy.
I spent a lot of time in SHOCK.
And it takes quite a bit to shock me. However, herb school became an utter disaster. My classmates and teachers disrupted the entire learning process. I began to realize the purpose of the school was not to learn, but to
"bond and connect and share rainbow moments".
I'm serious about knowledge. I'm serious about learning and herbs are my true passion. One of the reasons I moved to Asheville was for herb school. I barely learned a thing. It was utterly ridiculous.
Herb school shattered my heart and cracked open a giant hole in Asheville's appearance. The door flew wide open and I began to see more and more of the negative side of this fantasty town.
It happens in all relationships, where the veils come down and you truly see who the other person is.
Asheville, I saw you were in trouble and going down a spiral.
More and more folks seduced by Asheville's whimsy have moved here - just like me.
And we are met with a brutal reality of:
- extremely low pay
- pricey restaurants (due to Asheville's excellent food and
popularity they all raised their prices)
- now a fight over cold mountain beer (it's getting crowded!)
- unprofessionalism
- good intentions, but no follow through
- nothing exciting to do, a boring life, unless you love banjos
- difficult to get into craft fairs
- difficult to network and most folks are all doing the same thing
- you are not unique here, everyone is "weird", so now "weird is the new normal"
- there is an overabundance of babies and dogs and their owners will take them EVERYWHERE, even places where babies and dogs do not belong
- it's a transient town and almost all the cool people you meet will move away within a year or two
- now there is traffic, lots of traffic which creates traffic jams (so I have become creative and mindful with when I do things and what route I take)
So much has changed due to Asheville's popularity. Asheville is all over the food network, Good Morning America, travel magazines, and the #1 town for _______ (insert popular online list here).
It's a blessing and a curse living here.
It's been six years. Life changes. Asheville, you've changed and I cannot be so into you anymore.
We need a break.
I have to let you go.
You don't serve my soul anymore. You do not provide me stability financially. You do not provide me a stable community of friends. The grief and frustrations outweigh the goodness.
I'm done with you.
In closing, I would like to leave on a positive note.
Asheville, I would like to thank you for:
- Hestia, my 1st NC home
- My bearded god
- My lucsious garden
- NC wine country
- Max Patch, waterfalls, and mountain adventures
- Malaprops
- Putting me on my life coaching path
- Forcing me to find community online (all over the world)
- Forcing me to figure out multiple streams of income
- My love for kickboxing
So what now? Do I stay? Do I go?
I either need to move or travel a whole hell of a lot.
The thing is - I don't know where I want to move to yet.
For now I will focus on what I do love here and let the rest go.
Hugs and kisses,
~Amy
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Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
Amy Riddle, C.C., Holistic Alchemist and Manifestor of Dreams is a life coach, tapping facilitator, reverend, creatress, teacher, writer, herbalist, and all out muse. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Alternative Medicine with an emphasis on herbs. She is a certified professional life coach with the Life Coach Institute of Orange County. Amy craves to inspire others to be healthy and whole in body, mind, and spirit. She has an affinity for striped socks, stinging nettle, and all things faery.
