This photo is taken from our west-facing patio. The hills in the background are the Simi Hills, which are the western division between the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley.
The reason I’m writing about home today is because I’ve had this overwhelming feeling lately that I want to go home, even though here has been home for nearly four years. I’ve not lived anywhere for this long since 1984 and lately I’ve been feeling as though I want to stop “messing around” and go home. I’m not exactly sure what I mean by “messing around”. Maybe I mean that I want to get serious about life now, settle down, pick a purpose, and go with it. I’ve spent the last 20 years exploring. It’s been a worthwhile exploration. If I had continued the path I was on in 1984, I would always wonder what it would’ve been like to live outside of Skagit County, Washington, which is a beautiful place. Now I know and I want to go back.
It’s scary to contemplate going back because I know it won’t be the same as I knew it then. And I wonder if I’ll belong, although I wondered whether I belonged back then. I didn’t belong back then because I had a journey to take. I’m on that journey now. The destination is back where I came from, even though I will miss the view of those rocky hills from our backyard.
My son sure loves living in WA so I can certainly understand why you would long to go there. That strong pull for home, however, as you well know, is so very much more than the place itself.
I’m on my way. Warm the pool. 😉