Lets Say

It begins with a fantasy. A dream. A desire. It’s not quite well formulated yet, not quite well understood. It’s a vague idea, an urge to do something. Let’s say, go somewhere else. So you throw some ideas around. Nothing concrete. Let’s say, go somewhere where you can speak the language. Go somewhere where it’s not very difficult to enter. Go somewhere where you think you’ll feel comfortable, where you think you might be able to live.

Then comes the decision. Now you’ve run all the options in your head, you’ve mulled on the ideas, you realize you actually want to do something about it. Not just quite yet, but eventually. So you make a decision. Let’s say, go to Australia. Now you know what you think you want to do.

Procrastination follows. Not because you want to, because you have to. Let’s say, there’s pressure at work. Let’s say, you just started going out with this great person. Let’s say you’re just too tired now, and there’s this great episode on the telly…

And then one day you just commit. You make a bold, seemingly spontaneous move, and you sign up for something that will get you there. Let’s say, you pick up the phone and hire the services of an immigration agent. Let’s say, you just buy a one-way ticket. Now you have someone to pressure you into doing. Or a hard deadline.

Now you’re forced to take action. You already paid. Already set the date. You can’t back away anymore, and you have to stop stalling, and start doing. Let’s say, leave your apartment. Let’s say, quit your job. Let’s say, pack your things and say goodbyes.

And so this journey begins.