In April 1987, I made a move that changed my life - forever. I left the cozy confines of my hometown, Charleston, SC and moved to an uncertain future in Atlanta, GA. Now, 22 years later I will go to the crossroad yet again, heading to an even more uncertain future in Memphis, TN.

All my life I have prepared for this challenge. Things happened to me in the past that made no sense, I felt I was being "picked on" for no reason, but it is very clear now. God lead me to this trail, He was behind this all along. All the craziness, drama and chaos lead me to this juncture. I have reached a defining point in my life where like Charleston, I have out grown Atlanta.

It's not like I want to go, I HAVE TO GO because the only way I can grow is to leave the things I love most. I have always had a love-hate relationship with this city and it has been a part of my life since I came here as a wide eyed kid in 1969. There was so much I had seen, the changes, the comings and goings. This city produced angst, triumph, tragedy, chaos, drama, silliness and downright stupidity.

For all it's positives, Atlanta is still a second tier city that is striving to become something that it will never be, but even with all it's shortcomings, I'm still intrigued with it's endless boosterism. Maybe it will become that "city on the hill", but right now it is a one that has seen it's glory days fade.

For me, it is time to move on because my destiny does not lie here. The ghosts I leave here will be laid to rest when I finally pull up stakes and move on. What will Memphis bring? Who knows, but I know the future lies there and beyond.

What that fateful Friday on 27 March taught me was that the end was just the beginning and I had gone as far as I could go. All of the learning's given to me has to be put in place because the present and future will be one like I have never seen. I now know why God put me to the test, like Job, I had to go through these things and there will be many more tests before I'm finally rewarded one-hundred fold with whatever God wants me to have.

My fate lies not with me, but with HIM.

Photo

Russian Suprematist Painting

unsigned

Origin: Bulgarian private collection