Dear California,
My husband, pup, and I embarked on a new adventure in 2018. We didn’t know what you would have in store but we were ready for something new.
You showed me the beauty that is Mother Nature. I gazed in awe at the mammoth trees in Tahoe, the cliffs in Carmel, and the coast along the 101. In an hour, we went from the grimy city to the pristine shores of Point Reyes.
You also showed me firsthand that Mother Nature is suffering and that climate change is more powerful than ever. I breathed in the toxic air of wildfires, saw the plastic pollution in the ocean, and cried about whether we could reverse the devastation.
You gave me new friends, amazing souls I love and can’t wait to see again. In a new place, we were welcomed with open arms and soon, California began to feel like home. For that, I am forever grateful.
I didn’t understand California cuisine for the longest time. I get it now. Thank you, Berkeley, for opening my eyes to the fruit we can grow in our yards (as small as the yards may be). From lemons to loquats, we saw homes that utilized all of the space they were given. Thank you, Berkeley Bowl, for the cornucopia of fresh produce and making it always available. Thank you, Chez Panisse, for showing me that simple meals with fresh quality ingredients are metaphors for life.
I’ll miss the smell of the Redwoods, the closeness of hiking trails, and the plethora of Asian food. I’ll miss how the winters felt like fall, deceiving me into thinking no time had passed at all.
And what a trick it was. Suddenly, two years passed. Our marriage strengthened each weekend as we went on long hikes and drives to the coast, or when we simply relaxed at home. We finally had time to ourselves. We fought less, loved more, and only had each other to lean on. We spent weekends looking for adventure instead of worrying about obligations. California, in a way, was one long, bonus honeymoon. And we left the Bay with the ultimate culmination, our very own bay-bay.
Thank you for a chapter in my life I will look back on fondly,
Linda
