The day is finally here. I have been talking about it and posting about it for months, and now it is upon us. I have been so busy packing, repacking and purging that I haven't had time to really think about what it will be like to NOT live in the Bay Area anymore. I have been focusing on getting ready, keeping my family somewhat together and living between 2 places for 6 months now. The finish line I have been racing toward was the ultimate goal of finding a house and settling down to start a new chapter of our life in Southern California. Initial thoughts were "Hey, it's only a 1 hour plane ride or a 6 hour car ride. I can come back and forth as much as I want." and now I am saying "I HATE that drive down I-5 and once I get to Valencia, it is STILL another 2 1/2 hours home because of all the lovely LA traffic." Where did my time go to appreciate all the old things I am leaving behind, and the new discoveries ahead of me?
I think every town and area has a "vibe" or "groove" that is unique to itself. I have been many places in the world, and although I have loved visiting them... there were very few that took my breath away enough that I would actually want to live there. Maui is one... The Amalfi Coast in Italy is another... and then there is my hometown. Martinez, home of the Martini and Joe Di Maggio and the father of the National Park Service John Muir. Is it home just because my family has lived here for 5 generations now? Is it that I know where everything is? Is it because I know so many people here? What is it about this town that has cast a spell on me. I know many who leave, but they come back. Why does this place feel like home to me? Why do I think of this town when I think of going home?
I think it is like the famous old saying, home is where the heart is. My heart is here, or a large part of it anyway. My roots, my friends, my family, my memories and history are all here in this tiny little town on the Carquinez Straits that many people don't even know exists. I will miss it here... I will miss my life here.... and everyone I love, but I can't help but be excited for the changes to come. New adventures waiting to be had. New friends to discover and fall in love with. So many opportunities ahead of us with a clean fresh start. Standing on the threshold of terror and excitement, I am ready to jump into the unknown. I am ready now because my wonderful husband has already paved the way for us to make it easier. He is braver than we are. He has done this before, leaving his country and all that was familiar to come here for a better life... How can I not do the same with him as my example? How can I not support him as he has supported us? I am ready now, because he has made sacrifices that have made life easier for the rest of us. I am ready to do something difficult for love of him, and all he has done for us. I would follow him anywhere. So now I must go where my heart is... with him... to this new life we are creating for our family...
Wish us love.....
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4 comments:
Karan, I wish y'all the best of luck in your new home. And I must say that I just love your writing style! You express your feelings beautifully!
Hi! Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog when you must be so busy with your move. Isn't Flying Lessons fun?
I envy you moving to Southern California (although the bay area is pretty great too!). My husband grew up in Orange County ( Beach Cities area) and I moved there 5 years ago when we married. Though I spent my whole life until then living in Missouri, Southern California immediately felt like home to me. It has a very strong hold on my heart. Unfortunately we had to leave California for a cross country move to Virginia for my husbands job in Sept. 2008. Although Virginia is nice it just doesn't feel like home. If we ever get the chance we want to move back to California. It doesn't even have to be to Southern California. We just want to be in the same state as all our favorite places!
I wish you luck on your move! I know how rough it can be. In the last 5 years I've moved from Missouri to California, from California to Virginia, and then from one city in Virginia to another city. I'm becoming a moving pro,lol! Feel free to email me if you want to talk about Southern California some more :).
Hi Karan! Popping over from flying lessons. I was looking through roll call to see how many people(if any), were nearby and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are handful of us :)
Sounds like your life has been busy, with move and flying and all. I just wanted to say that I love your blog, and flea markets too ;)
Karan - love your blog! Oh how I relate with this post. Our family moved away from our home town a year and a half ago for my husband’s job. My husband lived down south for 6mths before my daughter and I moved down.
It is a big adjustment for sure. We are lucky we only moved 7hrs away so it is not too long of a drive to visit back home.
Hope you are settling in well!
Really love your blog! Thanks for sharing.
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