I left home at the age of 20, during my sophomore year of college. My mother didn’t even realize I was moving out because I did it secretly: During a weekend home, I packed only what I wanted to keep and wouldn’t be missed, and left everything else behind.
I left a letter in our mailbox explaining why I was moving out, where I would be, and how my mother could reach me. To say it was a big step is an understatement.
For me, it was like taking a jump and landing on the moon. My mom was abusive and controlling my whole life with her. She was a single mom and I was an only child (though later, I would learn that I had an older sister 15 years my senior, who also left home at only 15 years old).
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