Bittersweet Goodbyes

Lately there has been a certain bittersweet quality to my life. For instance, I leave for Chicago tomorrow for 7 months, and where as I will miss my family and my friends, I also can't wait to start a new section of my life somewhere else. I will embark on an amazing adventure, but I will also sacrifice and leave so much behind me. I guess I have to wonder where to draw the line. Is there a point where a person should stop experiencing life because he/she is too afraid to lose something important, something comfortable?