Home sweet home

It’s been two months since returning to California and I’ve been asked if I’m glad to be back. My reaction varies.

Overall, yes, it feels like I’m home again. These are the mountains I explored as a child and later as a young adult. I think I’ve been on every beach there is in this state. Sprawling oak trees, rice fields, peach orchards, orange trees as greenery on street median strips. I feel my soul drinking it all back in after a drought of 13 years away.

Yeah, California, I missed you.

There were plenty of reasons I was glad to leave though. Crime, smog, overcrowded schools, high taxes and traffic among them. Those things can eat at your soul too.

But aren’t there those people in your life that you love to love and also love to hate? You don’t really hate them – you just are vastly annoyed at some of the things they do. That’s my relationship with California and I expect it’s how a lot of people feel. On a good day, though, when the sun comes out and I’m standing on the beach watching those beautiful Pacific waves roll in, taking in the salt air and deciding between a fish taco and clam chowder – ahhh, why did we ever leave?

I’m not here to judge. I came back to live. I want to enjoy being back and rediscover California with fresh eyes. Good and bad. That’s what this blog is going to be about.