Six Months...
I've been thinking about "home" lately, or more explicity, what is home? Probably, because I can, without a doubt, admit that I am homesick. I miss San Francisco.
I miss the blanket of bone chilling fog that envelops the city. I miss my former neighborhood - not quite the projects, but the diversity and constantly changing Hayes Valley. I miss the urbanness that is the city of San Francisco - the houses and buildings stacked against each other, the contrasting colors, the vibrant people. Deliberately walking past Citizen Cake to gaze at the changing menu and desserts. The comfort of Blue Bottle and Momi Tobi's Cafe. The adventures with friends - new bars, restaurants and the familiarity of Thursday night kickball followed by debauchery at Kezar. Acme soudough. Mexican food. The fashion on Hayes st. And the list continues.
I've only been homesick like this twice in my life. The first, during my freshman year of college - the combination of a nasty roommate and anti-social suitemates lead to a very rough year. The second, when I moved from Berkeley to Sunnyvale. And now, the move from San Francisco to Seattle.
Don't get me wrong. Seattle is a fabulous place - it feels good. I've found great coffee and Lillet at Joe Bar and Venus and Matt's and other dining and grocery shopping and bars. The social life is coming together. Work is no longer an unhappy part of my life.
Which remind me. What is home? At a very basic level, it's a place to store our belongings. Really, it's how we view and construct the world and the people around us. It is our perceptions, what we are wiling to accept about ourselves and how we feel about our surroundings. It is more than just unpacking boxes - it is how we get our energy and view the world. Sometimes, this deeper feeling of home takes time to integrate, like my life in Berkeley. Other times, it never becomes a reality - my time in the South Bay. And when we're lucky, home immediately becomes where we are, my life in San Francisco.
Obviously, Seattle is in that first category for me. I'm making Seattle my home, not just in name, but in the more intimate perspective. It will happen. It has not quite been six months...