guts, grit, and glow

Last week's day dreams, while traveling to through Austin and Seattle, had me reminiscing and thinking about how one day I would look back on this time in my life and I would title it, "the LA years."  I guess I've realized the day will come when I no longer live here and this time in my life will be but a chapter in my story.  As much as I love and appreciate the city right now, in my heart I've always known I'm a country kinda gal and one day I'm gonna make my way back to those Texas fields.  But, for now, its just a distant dream and LA is still a magical, sun-soaked reality and I wouldn't have it any other way.  But, these 'LA years' had me thinking about all the other places I've called home and I came to the conclusion they are also a part of my story.  It can all be so conflicting sometimes, it feels like I leave behind memories, friends, and little bits of life each time I move.  Sometimes I wish I could just pick up all the geographical pieces and mesh them into one giant place that combines everything and everyone that I love.

Let's start with Philly, oh sweet Philly.  Where I first learned to truly live on my own.  First time in a big city.  First job.  First solo apartment.  There were a lot of firsts and a lot of tears if I'm remembering correctly?? I'm not totally sure because I think I've mentally blocked those parts out.  But even so, Philly taught me how to be tough, it gave me guts.  There were times when I was put through the ringer but I came out stronger for it and learned not to take things so personally or get emotional about things that didn't deserve my time or attention (any fellow Pisces out there know that the struggle is real).  I learned to have the guts to speak up.  I also figured out that east coasters say exactly how they feel, even though it may not always be what you want to hear.  I learned to love and appreciate that quality, and I think that might be the thing I miss most about Philly.

Next up is Texas, my home--where I got my grit.  First and foremost I developed an obsession with all things antique, over loved, worn-out, and vintage.  Scouring antique fairs with my mom, growing up in farm houses, riding to school in old pick up trucks, climbing on top of the hay bales.  Texas shaped me as a designer and an artist and I realize it now more than ever.  It made me tough but sweet, and instilled an appreciation for anything with a history.

Lastly, I like to think Los Angeles, and the golden state it resides in, gave me my glow.  When I say glow I mean more in the figurative sense that for the first time I felt like all the puzzle pieces were falling together, not to say new puzzles didn't arise but I was finally able to live in the same zip code as Morgan, I was all about my #dreamjob, and at last I was amongst all the beautiful nature I had craved so much the year before.  I was happy--so, happy in fact that I guess you could say I was glowing (and like to think that I still am).
So after those very lengthy, somewhat biographical few paragraphs, I guess what I'm getting at is--for all you people out there with friends/family/memories spread all across the US and possibly the world--don't feel conflicted.  You can love the places and the people in them equally and all at once.  I think we take a piece of each place with us everywhere we go and that's what make us all so unique.  We're truly a product of where we're from and all the places we've hung our hat along the way.