The Freedom To Be

I am becoming accustomed to a freer, more joyful energy since my husband stepped his foot out into the unknown and started to find his own way. I am being re-introduced to the man I married again! Theory hypothesized and tested, people can weather marriage like a storm, knowing the stormy time will not last forever (even if it seems to go on for a really, really long time). One day you will walk in sunshine again, hand in hand, if you work hard, give it your all and don't accept defeat. Those are actually pretty good qualities to live by in all areas of your life...

How many children are told by their parents that they can achieve whatever they want in life with not much more than a decision and a whole lotsa hard work? Is it even half the kids that are growing up in the USA today? I see a large faction of society in the States that are complacent with the station they were born into. They never move far from home. If they travel, it is usually the same destination annually (God bless the time-share!). Their parents live near by, as do their children and grandchildren and families plant deep, generational roots within a community and tumble in this turnover perpetually. Occasionally, a person will pop out of this order and feel the need to march to the beat of their own drum. These are the people that cities collect. The offbeat, the misfits, those not content with a ready-made life. People that are searching and have not yet found what they are looking for. Those that like to share their time and space with strangers. Always, and lots of them. They have found anonymity in the thick of the masses, they have found the freedom from judgmental and gossiped observation required to feel themselves. They have found their individuality, finally comfortable with the skin they are in and the space they take up on the planet, smushed up around dozens of others.

Living in bohemian, eclectic and unique San Francisco is an entirely different experience from living in the valley of heat and sunshine wrapped around a convincingly lovely facade. We mingle amidst east to mid-west transplants here, retired folk, snow-bunnies and resort hoppers. Where I live now is Agrestic perfect. So tidy and clean. Such a vast space was once upon a time a developers dream project, and they have done well. We now live in the land of flower-encrusted gated community signs and sweeping, smoothly pathed avenues adorned with fountains flowing on every corner and labeled-tree-species dividing every median. And I really like it! I am not in an "exciting" phase of my life right now. Those were my coming-of-age years in San Francisco. I am in a rebuilding phase now, and I relish the quiet and warmth. The peace and ease. The people are pleasant. The weather is pleasant. The cost of living is damn pleasant (after San Francisco's prices, for sure!). And pleasant will not get me by for the rest of my life. Oh Lord no. But while I am still healing from a whopper of a cluster-fuck of disease, I am getting along quite nicely here.

Thanks for joining,
Leah