Moving Quote by Brian James
““There aren't any rules to running away from your problems. No checklist of things to cross off. No instructions. Eeny, meeny , pick a path and go. That's how my dad does it anyway because apparently there's no age limit to running away, either. He wakes up one day, packs the car with everything we own, and we hit the road. Watch all the pretty colors go by until he finds a town harmless enough to hide in. But his problems always find us. Sometimes quicker than others. Sometimes one month and sometimes six. There's no rule when it comes to that, either. Not about how long it takes for the problems to catch up with us. Just that they will—that much is a given. And then it's time to run again to a new town, a new home, and a new school for me. But if there aren't any rules, I wonder why it feels the same every time. Feels like I leave behind a little bit of who I was in each house we've left empty. Scattering pieces of me in towns all over the place. A trail of crumbs dotting the map from everywhere we've left to everywhere we go. And they don't make any pictures when I connect dots. They are random like the stars littering the sky at night.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Personal narrative on escapism, 2023
Escaping problems creates a pattern of temporary relief, but issues persist and follow, leaving fragmented identity.
In simple terms: Running away doesn’t solve problems; it spreads them.
Seek lasting solutions, not temporary escapes.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- family moves
- school changes
- mental health
- long‑term planning
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does each move cost you emotionally?
- Can you find stability without fleeing?
Escapism can prevent growth and deepen trauma.