It's no secret that I love Southern California...or SoCal as it's otherwise known. The Beaches are endless, the weather is amazing (I can't even remember the last time it rained out here), and the car culture is a notch above any other place in the country...all traits which are big "plusses" in my book. For a long, long time I've wanted to move to the LA area...it just has so much to offer to a person with my interests. Pretty much every hobby that I have ever had a passion for, from cars to snowboarding to paintball to bodyboarding to mountaing biking to the Filipino Martial Arts (or any Martial Arts for that matter)...you can pretty much find some of the best places for those hobbies in or around (within hours) of the LA area. What can't I find in good ole SoCal? My Family and close knit group of friends...
I have always felt very blessed to have the friends that I have and have always taken a great deal of pride in the friendships I have built up over the years. I have friends that I have known for a long, long time (some from as far back as second grade), and friends that I have been through thick and thin with. This, in addition to having a very close-knit family definitely made it hard to decide to move to a place over 3000 miles away. Why did I do it then? Well, I didn't want to turn 40 (which isn't too far away) and look back and wonder "what if?". I didn't want to look back and regret not making that decision and trying something new. And it hasn't been without it's ups and downs.
On one hand I kinda like being away and doing something different from the "norm". I like being out and about "doing my own thing". However, I do miss the sense of community that I have with my family and friends back home. That sense of community isn't something you can create overnight....or even in a year or two. Our most recent trip back to Baltimore for R&R's wedding definitely placed emphasis on this for me. During our previous visits back to Baltimore, I have always enjoyed our time there and very much enjoyed seeing everyone, but I did't necessarily feel sad when leaving and heading back to LA (Am I dead inside? What's wrong with me?). For some reason, this time was different. This time, on the plane ride back I found myself feeling a little sad...Feeling like I really missed that sense of community...like I was missing out on something. I'm not sure why it was different this time, though. Maybe it was getting to see almost everyone at the wedding and getting to hang out like old times or maybe it was the fact that the kids now seem to out-number the adults and we (P and I) are missing them grow up. I just dont know. The fact of the matter is, it made me sad to leave...regardless of the reason.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't miss Balimore as a place at all. Deep down inside, I am totally through with Baltimore as a place. The ONLY thing I miss are my Family and Friends...but as we all know, those are definitely a HUGE part of what you are....part of your being. Now, If only I could get all of my family and friends to move here to SoCal...now THAT would be heaven! But I digress...
Anyway, to my Family and Friends that may be reading this...I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything that you are, for everything that you have ever done for me, and anything that you may do for me in the future. I thank you for just being a part of my life and want you to know that you are very much appreciated. I learned a long time ago that you should cherish every moment you have with people as that time could be cut short at any moment and I wanted to acknowledge you all for being a very important aspect of my life. I have the best family and friends in the world and that means more to me than anything...
The Love of All Things Blue
14 years ago
6 comments:
It's different for everyone. But I think part of it is our age. Time is only getting shorter for the ones that surround us.
Your damn right its our age! I mean, if I was 27 again and living out in Cali- well, it was all about ME.
Its not so much about me no more.
No more, no more.
What- did i grow up or something?
Not that growing up means you have to live in a slow, sleepy, pseudo- city (hey, I rhymed) like Baltimore, but it means that you stress less about the details, but you focus on the bigger picture..and the bigger picture is love, family, and friends.
We miss you. And that wife of yours.
Move home.
I don't think I could've said it better myself. I've had this discussion with you guys many times and we do say the same things. I don't miss B-more but I do miss all our friends who live there.
So the question is, how do we get all of them to move to spain with us? :)
WTF? Spain? Didn't we JUST finish saying it wasn't about us anymore?
And, dear god. Chief Sherpa is blogging.
All good points. But Spain wouldn't be just for self. I mean, kids should have expanded horizons...not live in one place, and one place only for most of their lives. So moving somewhere like that would be for people other than myself...:)
Besides, kids with accents (be they spanish, british, or what have you) are even cuter than their american counterparts...
Or...maybe kids with Pidgin accents...Hmm...
Must be the old age talking...
The hardest thing for most people is figuring out that the most important things in life are family and friends. Knowing that is a huge step embarce it and never let it go. I dont know about you guys but I spend too much time working for what... every cable channel in the world... new patagonia gear...the fastest broadband connection on my iPhone. Thats all crap.
While I was in Spain, watching my mom play with Gabe, go swimming with him, walking around the Prado Museum it floored me. It floored me because that was exaclty where I wanted to be with my family and I was very happy.
Now that we are getting older, i find myslef enjoying spending time with my family more than anything else. I mean have you seen my god daughter she is the cutest girl in the world and all i want to do is give her my money, buy her toys and eventual take her around the world but ,mostly i want to show her the beauty of being part of a family. Even though my nephews can be maddening I see my family in them. If you get the chance watch Gio, Gabe and Izzy play they just love each other.
Moving to spain is easy, you can all camp at casa gonzales until you find real homes. Spain is awesome and it has an emerging economy and tons of jobs for everybody. You know in every town was a BMW dealership. Also there are tons of American companies. It is also very english friendly.
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