my kind of town

Being away from home this past week has been quite a trip.

I've met a lot of amazing people with great personalities and very different lifestyles.. I've learned to appreciate both my life back home and the way they live theirs.

California is a place I could only dream of living in.. the sun was constantly shining, the weather was beautiful, and even when it wasn't, it was still a place that I could NOT get over.. I'll miss it dearly.. I love the way my hair felt in the wind as my cousin cruised down the freeways (what's the difference between highways and freeways??). I loved having to wear my sunglasses everyday. I loved being able to pull of just a shirt and thin hoodie at night. It was simply beautiful.

But the people I was with just sat back and seemed to take it for granted.. it was kinda weird to me.. a little sad and a little incredible.. How can you take such natural beauty for granted? How can it seem so ordinary when it is so amazing?

Then it got me wondering if there is more to what I see back home.. If I brought these same people into my hometown and showed them around, would they find things that would amaze and surprise them? Would there be anything there that they see that I take for granted? I am now determined, when I get back, to appreciate all that surrounds me. I want to understand the history and background of the downtown areas.. I want to discover unique restaurants and little shops.. I want to be proud to say I know where I live. I've already got the streets down.. I can get to almost anywhere without exact directions (people's houses don't really count on that one).. now I want to know more..

As much as I'll miss California, I'm excited to get home. :)