All of Her Things

A tribute to Philadelphia.

January 20^th, 2025, was a day of mixed emotions for me.

I decided to officially give up my apartment in Philadelphia by April 15^th. Of course, I knew it was coming. I moved into a lovely home with my husband in Germany, but I think part of me was hoping to keep the apartment as long as I could.

During the pandemic, I lived with my parents, but living there increasingly became destructive to my mental health. My cousin suggested I move to Philly in June 2021, and I immediately started my search for an apartment. I was also dating someone who had just moved to Philly, so I was there visiting my cousin and then-boyfriend all the time. By July, I found an apartment that was inexpensive enough for me to live alone. I was looking forward to being able to spend more time with my boyfriend, but in November 2021, the day before he was to help me move to Philly, he broke up with me. Sure, that was sad, but in a way, I was glad to be starting a new life without any restrictions.

When I moved, I jumped in head first, writing in the Philaqueens Facebook group, hoping to meet new friends. Only one woman, Angela, a climber, followed through. She immediately added me to her climbing group, where I met so many wonderful people. Although I had climbed many times before, I didn’t consider it to be “my activity,” but once I met people from the group, I was hooked. I climbed 3-4x a week, I started climbing outside, and I was going on group climbing trips. An amazing group of people opened up a whole new world for me.

I also wanted to get into running. One day in January 2022, I stepped into Philly Runner with my cousin and met Aaron, who told me about all the running groups in Philly, including one that met on Monday evenings in Manayunk, the Manayunk Beer Runners. I decided to show up and I met the two guys who would make my life in Philly complete, Jonas and Andy. I eventually started running with Issa Run Crew. With my running buddies, I gained the confidence to run races like the Philly 10k, Broad Street (10 miles), and two Philly half-marathons- something I never thought I’d ever do.

I was so busy. Life was never boring. I always had something to look forward to after work and on the weekends, but living in Philly meant more to me than anyone, even myself, expected. I made the most out of my life there. I learned how to start over, I learned how to make friends as an adult, and although I never felt it, I learned how to be alone. I was lucky to have lived there when I did because I needed it. I needed to feel free and unattached. I needed that time to figure out who I was without a partner or my parents. I needed to see what was out there. I needed those happy moments, the active lifestyle, the partying, and even the broken hearts. I needed to learn what I deserved out of my relationships. It was an amazing stepping stone into the lovely life that I have now as I live in Germany with a man who shows me every day how much he loves me. How lucky am I to have had these people who have shown me love and experiences I never thought I’d have in my life?

One thing I’ll miss is the city lights during my nighttime drives through Center City to Roxborough. There were nights when I could feel the energy of the city through the lights, and some nights they’d make me tear up.

I’m going to miss my shabby one-bedroom apartment off Henry. It was perfect for a girl living on her own.

I’m going to miss Kelly Drive and my 8-mile Sunday Runday.

I’m going to miss the Wissahickon. I’d run there most mornings and go on little hikes. I’ve even climbed there.

From my apartment, I had the most amazing view of the park and Roxborough. The sunrises couldn’t be matched.

Although it is now time to let go of that chapter and start a new one, I hold Philly and all the memories I’ve made over the years close to my heart.

To my friends, I’ll miss being in your presence, but I do hope we stay connected. I’ll be visiting when I see my family in New Jersey. And if you happen to take a trip to Europe, hit me up!

To Philadelphia, how lucky am I to have experienced such an amazing city? It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Living there has quite literally opened up the world to me. I will miss you, but I will always refer to you as home.

…on to the next chapter.

Always,

Dani