…is that you are homesick for them all at different times.
I knew that I wanted to live in different places. I wanted to try them on and see if they fit. I never knew they would all fit in different ways. I knew this goal was a big part of setting my own p(e)ace. I made each of them my home with wonderful people and experiences. It is everything I wanted. I did not think that once I moved from those places that I have bouts of homesickness for each of them and the people I met there.
Page, AZ
(Lake Powell)
I was a park ranger in the National Park Service out of college. I lived there for 3.5 seasons and loved it. I got to live on the only residential street on Lake Powell and could walk to the lake any time. All of my friends and coworkers lived on that street so there was always someone to hang out with or something to do and they were amazing people…for the most part -but there is always one. I loved the work too. I got to have the experiences that most people don’t and awesome hat. I met two of my favorite people while in Page: one bad ass L.E. artist and my PIC and co-founder of scorpion way M.C. I couldn’t picture my life without these two people; even living in totally different places they are always there for me. I miss the smell of the rain in the desert – nothing better.
Salt Lake City, UT
I only lived in SLC for one winter with my cousin but I still miss that time. Most of my extended family lives in SLC so for that one winter I got to be a part of the family dinners and activities. I really enjoyed it because I missed them when I was little. I remember all my cousins calling on Christmas Eve and wondering what that must have been like (know that I created my own family memories for Christmas Eve that I cherish) and I got to find out. I spent a lot of time with two of my cousins in particular and really became friends with them. It was great bonding time and I do feel homesick for it, and fry sauce, from time to time.
Hood River, OR
After grad school I was feeling a bit restless and had some wanderlust. I started applying for jobs anywhere and everywhere. When I got an interview for a job in Hood River, Oregon I had no idea the adventure I was in for. Part of this job was joining AmeriCorps and voluntarily being dirt floor poor (below dirt floor poor- I am still paying it off). After a whole lot of searching I finally found a room to rent. I didn’t know the people I lived with would become my Oregon family. Maybe it’s because you get close to people when five of you share a bathroom, but I think it’s because we just got one another. We liked all the same shows, we had respect for each other, and we all loved musical theater. They included me in their family outings, holiday dinners, and everyday lives. I am forever grateful they are in my life. I met a great friend who is still in my life. After six months of feeling so alone (aside from my Oregon Family) she introduced me to her friends and R.I.P.P.E.D. She changed my life for the better and pulled me from my own loneliness.
All of these homes and experiences have helped me set my own p(e)ace and make up the whole of who I am. I needed to prove to myself that I was brave enough to do try new places and build a life in them, and I did.
Don’t think I forgot about you Phoenix! You get your own post later.
I have been feeling homesick for Oregon lately which is what inspired me to write this post.
Set My Own P(e)ace 