It’s crazy how time flies. It’s true that the more fun you’re having, the faster it goes. Apparently, I’ve been in California for 3 months already. Yup, 3 months, yesterday. Life has changed so much since I’ve moved here. I’m surprised at how comfortable I feel already. A big part of that definitely has to do with Terrence, his family, and our friends at church. The other thing is that California is so different than Philly. So, so, sooooo different! 

The energy in California is so much more relaxed compared to Philly. The people seem less tense, and while the South still reigns in the niceness category, California folks aren’t that far behind. Except that, well, it’s not so much that people are nice, it’s just that they’re…chill. And cordial. And chill. (Yeah, they’re that chill that I had to say it twice.)

I don’t want to turn into one of those folks that move away from a place and start bashing it. I’ll never forget all that I gained from my time in Philadelphia. I learned plenty of life lessons, and met lots of  forever friends, for sure.  More importantly, I gained street smarts, common sense, and a fighting spirit. I’ll forever be grateful for that. The thing about Philly, or any urban city, I’m sure, is that when things get tough, things get really tough. 

Working in the inner-city, and living almost in the inner-city, I was so used to being stressed, that I didn’t even realize how overwhelmed I was. The way I feel today compared to the way I felt 3 months ago when I first stepped foot into California is like the way a feather feels compared to a rock. That’s not an exaggeration, either. Looking back at how tense I was then, I’m really surprised that I didn’t have a heart attack or a psychological breakdown. I survived 9 years in Philadelphia, the last 3 being the most challenging years of my life. I think I had about two more weeks before I would have come completely apart. It was time for me to go.

Coming here, leaving the place where I felt comfortable (though I wasn’t really comfortable), was a challenge. Even up until the very end, I wasn’t sure if I was making the right decision. But, the way that California has been opening up to Ayva and me, and the way the details just came together (i.e. Ayva getting into a great preschool well after the enrollment deadline, me getting an amazing job working from home)…it’s clear that California was the right decision.

So now, the fog is lifting in my life (Figuratively. I live in Northern California).  Every day isn’t always sunny (again, Northern Cal) but it’s definitely a better life for me. My environment is breathing fresh life into me, which is giving me what I need to continue to sow into Ayva’s life. It’s been 3 months, and I know that seems kind of soon to say this, but I’ll say it anyway:

California, I think I love you.