I've been in a slump. And not just with my blog, but also because the shine of California has worn off a bit.
This it typical of me - I love new things! I get excited, I pour all my energy into it, I start fresh, and feel like I have a new lease on life! Then the shine wears off and the routine of everyday life starts to take over.
When we first moved to southern California, I loved my new neighborhood, the new sites, new places to explore, all the possibilities... I still do love my neighborhood, mostly because we have GREAT neighbors who have become fantastic friends, but the pull to go out and explore, to discover new things, to see what's around the next corner just isn't there like it used to be.
And, I'm missing being part of a community. I loved living in a small town, knowing the people who lived there, bantering about business with the owner of the coffee shop where my favorite flavor of ice tea was always on hand, going to the flower shop to get suggestions for the perfect gift (they were always spot on because they knew everyone's tastes), walking down the sidewalk and recognizing most of the faces. Our city here grew up fast as a home for commuters who worked in San Diego and Riverside but wanted cheaper housing. In twenty years, the town has gone from a tiny diversion off the freeway to a major city with a couple hundred thousand people. As a result, we have great schools, new homes, a lots of amenities, but it's all spread out and there really isn't a downtown area or a central community area. And there are lots and lots of unfamiliar people.
There's a comfort in being surrounded by people who know you, even if they know the not-so-good things about you, as well as the good things. When you are part of a community, you have to take everyone for who they are because you are stuck with them. Sometimes you don't like them, sometimes you cross the street to avoid some of them, but most of the time you take comfort in the familiar smiles and the casual waves as you pass by, or the quick conversations in the aisle of the grocery store.
Most of all, I miss having family near. My closest friends when I lived in a small town were related to me. Being surrounded by cousins, aunts, uncles, and especially my parents gave me a sense of belonging. Great friends are fantastic, but it's hard to replace family.
Now I live in a big city, in a neighborhood bigger than the town I used to live in, right in the midst of urban sprawl. And because I work in a different large city, I just live in this city--I'm not really a part of it outside of a little part of my block in our neighborhood.
But this is our home now. The schools are great, we live in a nice neighborhood, and it's sunny and 70 all the time (which greatly improves my husband's mood), and our son loves it here. So, I have to find a way to put the shine back on southern California.
In order to do that, I set a couple goals. They aren't huge goals, but they are small steps in putting down deeper roots here.
1. Find a quaint coffee shop: I love bringing my computer to an eclectic coffee shop or cafe to work,and it's even better if it's full of regulars. I want them to know my regular order, and I want to recognize the other people who are there, even if the only connection to them is a small smile of acknowledgement.
2. Start exploring on the weekends: There is a lot to see within a couple hours of where we live. I love discovering new places, so I want to take day trips at least once, maybe even twice, per month to discover the towns, mountains, beaches, and hidden hideaways that are right here. I'm missing the country life right now, and feeling like I have space to breathe, so getting out and seeing what's around us will give me a break from the city and feed my need to discover new places.
I still think moving to California has been a great experience, and a good change for our family, but I have let myself get into dull routine. It's easy to look back and think things were better when....especially when homesickness sets in. It took three years, but I'm thinking this is like the end of the second week of a vacation - lots of excitement and great adventures, but now I'm ready to get back to the familiar.
Since the familiar is 1900 miles away from where home is now, it's time to take ownership of where I am
