We just returned from Seattle. I am a Navy brat who ended up in the PNW whereas Mike started out in the South & ended up in SoCal. We are both water babies living in the High Mountain Desert area. Talk about fish out of water...
Arriving in Seattle it was a rare sunny day. What strikes me about going from a small town to a city is the ugliness. Regardless of the area, the cityscape surrounding the airports is sometimes dank. What was awesome is we got lost getting from the car rental place to the highway & ended up in the most forest lined neighborhoods. I was relieved to feel HOME. I miss the PNW with the force of the first night away from home at 10 years old. It is not a wistful memory laden past seeking yearning, it is an honest sigh of returning to a place where your heart is at peace.
Mike had found a place I had never been to of course EAT. I sat amongst the Seattle cool people waiting for the cafe to open & I felt sad...I don't do this in Utah. Sit in line at a cool place reading Henry James....I felt at a loss. Then I remembered that if I would have continued to live in Seattle and would have stood in a line waiting for something, I would have MOCKED the person reading Henry James. I felt relieved.
The best part of my visit was the coast. My brother caught me standing in the middle of his neighborhood street standing face up in the misty rain. "Um, you ok?". Joyfully at peace I assured him I was fine. I explained later we truly live in the desert. I don't think they got it. Mike stood fishing off my brother's dock all day. My brother pointed out to me Mike's left side which was soaked due to the wind and rain. I understood both my husband's peace in the rain and my brother's incredulity of Mike's lack of concern for the rain.
Walking around Seattle reminded me of the joys of city living. The little interesting parts of city walking which lightened my heart. Even looking back I was thinking that Salt Lake doesn't offer those quirks....I have walked the city. I am now vocal about moving back to the place where my heart is quiet with joy.
About Me
- Heather D
- Quasi liberal, not a feminazi but a humanist, heartful but sees the cynical part of life, tends to laugh, worrier, caregiver, tough
5 comments:
Well, I'd welcome you back in a heartbeat, sister.
Are you moving back to Seattle?
I felt compelled to come out of lurking status to respond to this one. I relate to every word of this post. I think of Seattle every day. I can't help but feel that moving to SLC wasn't a "move", rather a long visit & Seattle is waiting for us to come home. We miss everything about the PNW, and can't wait to move back - hopefully within the next couple years.
I would love to have you closer!!! It's funny how I was in Seattle texting you as my Aunt/Uncle were with you....again something was weird with that - I do hope you find a way back to the PNW for many reasons but mostly selfish for me as I miss you.
I was recently back, and have been trying even since to figure out how to get back there. Too bad its not 15 years ago and I could just pack my car up and leave NJ for Seattle. Loved my visit! hope you are well...
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