Member-only story
Allow Yourself to Move Back Home and See What Happens
When I finished grad school, I had nowhere to go but back home.
I had no job. I didn’t even have a job prospect at that time. I’d graduated with an M.A. in Religion from a progressive seminary with no clue what was next. I knew I didn’t want to go into professional ministry. My parents lived out of state and while I didn’t want to leave my community, I knew what I had to do.
So, I accepted the fact that at the age of thirty, I’d be living with my mom and dad. They’re good people and we get along well, so I knew I could count on their support while I got my feet under me.
That wasn’t the end of my problems, though. I was still jobless. And now, I was friendless in a new town. I’m an introvert, but I rely on a community like a hiker relies on her water bottle. I need to feel that I belong to a group of people, preferably local. (Though since the pandemic started this year, I’ve been investing more time in virtual communities.)
I’m thirty-five now, and I’ve moved across state lines five times so far in my life. The good thing about this is that I know how to make friends. What I didn’t know was how to find work. I knew the basics — write my resume, apply for positions, etc. — but I’d never actually landed a “grown-up” job with a salary and benefits and everything.
