Goodbye Knoxville

Thirty days from now I will be packing a moving truck and moving to Chattanooga. Thirty days from now I am going to close the chapter of life that started six years ago when I moved from Joplin, Missouri to Knoxville, TN. When I moved to Knoxville I didn’t think I’d stay past my years at Johnson Bible College, in time I thought I’d never live anywhere else.

I am primarily moving to Chattanooga to finish my last year of graduate school. I also think that it is a good career decision since my connections to school are largely in the Chattanooga market. There is also this feeling that is harder to explain and put into words that it is simply time to move on to the next thing, that somehow my time is done in Knoxville.

Knoxville is the city that in many ways has built me, has formed me, has been the place where I became who I am. It is a place that I will miss dearly. Leaving something well is an important part of moving on to the next place. This is me leaving well. Today starts thirty days of goodbyes. Thirty days of saying goodbye to the people, places, and moments that have been important to me in Knoxville, all things that I am going to miss. I plan to every day have a post about one of these goodbyes.

Goodbye #1: I am going to miss you Knoxville. I’m going to miss you a lot.

-Justin Friel