The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

A lot of my friends moved away during the pandemic. Here’s why I’m staying put.

It feels complacent after a year of stagnancy, but I know it’s the right choice for me

Perspective by
Lily contributor
June 20, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. EDT
(Dabin Han for The Washington Post)

In the past, I spent a lot of my time planning for the future ahead. I felt as if when there wasn’t a big change in sight, I felt as if I was falling behind my peers. Covid-19 has made me confront my habit of defining success as change and prompted me to learn to find markers of growth in different ways. Now, as movement becomes a part of my life again, it’s hard to put this mental change into practice. But it is a challenge that excites me. I know that I am ready to grow at my own pace and pave my own path.