Hindsight.

I grew up in a small-ish college town on the Central Coast of CA. The kind of place where you could get anywhere in 15 minutes. With the picturesque downtown minutes from the ocean. The kind of place where we were dropped off at the dance studio at 3pm every afternoon during the week, and 9am on Saturdays and were safe to wander to our favorite haunts between classes.

And, of course, the place I couldn't wait to leave when I graduated from high school. I had to go out and explore the world. I had visions of moving east, where dammit, there were seasons. Year round nice weather was entirely overrated. I never said I was wise back then.

My hometown's perfection was validated this year a la Oprah. She did a segment on its placement as happiest city in America, therefore it must be true.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-G8arph2h8&feature=share

www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Happiest-City-in-America-San-Luis-Obispo-Video

I don't know that you can go back to where you came from. (Yes, I just ended that sentence in a preposition.) I imagine much has changed in the 15 years since I've spent any length of time there. Maybe I've created some heightened version of SLO through my memories...but sometimes I do wish I could just go back. Living there would go a long way to achieving the slower life I so desperately want some days.

One of these days we'll make it back. I will torture my family with a drive up the coast. Eating in my favorite old restaurants. Visiting where I went to school, the old studio and my old house. The light at the end of the tunnel of my memories will be the promise of a trip to Disneyland. I think my wife and child would tolerate just about anything for a hit of the Mouse.