July is the month we say goodbye to writers who are aging out or moving on to new adventures, and this is Caroline’s last post. She has been writing with us since the very beginning in July 2013.
Dear Readers,
I’ve thought long and hard about what I wanted this last post to be—how perhaps I should write something grand, or bring up some controversial or confessional topic I haven’t dared to post about publicly before. But I just keep thinking about what these last seven years have been. After all, I am a reminiscer. And I really just want to say thank you.
I wrote my first blog post on July 7, 2013 about a girl named Talia who had a profound influence on my life. She was there when I needed a friend and someone to confide in. She was the first person I told when I kissed my now-husband. I wrote about our summer together, my last in Grand Rapids. Seven years later, I am now in Grand Rapids again, which is a kind of beautiful, full-circle moment. Talia is now married and has two adorable kids.
I left Michigan in 2013 to live in Budapest, and I revisit my posts about Hungary often because there are details written there that are not written anywhere else.
For the next six years I wrote from Brooklyn about teaching and about NYC and its people. I wrote posts that felt risky: “The Elements” and my “Letter to My Daughter” because they involved sharing more private thoughts and memories. But it was after sharing these that I heard from people I hadn’t heard from in years who felt the need to reach out to let me know something I said meant something to them. This is all I have ever wanted as a writer. Thank you.
Thank you to everyone who shared my posts on Facebook (my dad has never missed one) and for the likes and comments. It seems silly, but all of these gestures affirmed that I was doing something right.
I met up with Abby Zwart, our fearless leader and editor here at the post calvin (thank you, thank you), a few weeks ago for a park picnic. She brought me turkey on a rosemary wrap and a house-warming plant. We caught up on life, and as I was telling her about being closer to my sister, I stopped sometime mid-story to realize she already knew what I was about to tell her.
“Wait, you probably know about all of this. Oh my gosh, you know, like, everything about me. It’s like you’ve read my diaries of the past seven years.”
If you’ve followed along with these posts, you know a lot about me.
You would hopefully know how much I love people, as evidenced by my ode to my roommate Ashley and the many, many posts about my family. You would know how enamored I am by the beauty of the world, whether that be a full solar eclipse or just spring in Brooklyn. And by now you hopefully know how thankful I am to have had the opportunity to share these pieces of my heart and mind with you. I am happy to be making room for a fresh, new voice. I will keep writing, of course, and plan to start by journaling more. Let me know if you want to read them.
I love you,
Caroline
Caroline (Higgins) Nyczak (’11) lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she spends the vast majority of her time teaching English Language Arts. You may also find her at barre exercise classes or playing (and losing) at bar trivia. She continues to be inspired by the energy and diversity of New York City and the beauty of that certain slant of light.
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At first I was a little disappointed you chose to do an obviously reflective piece as your last. But as I read all your posts mentioned here, I realized you really did have some damn good ones. It truly is easy to forget. Reminiscing has its place. Keep finding beauty and sharing. You are appreciated.
Caroline, “Chinese Takeout” is one post that I will always go back to. Thank you for letting us into your life one beautiful glimpse at a time. I’m going to miss hearing your voice every month!