WARNING: This a post that very well may come across cheesy. Whether or not that is the case, I don't care, but you might. What I do care about is that the reader realizes that I'm 100% sincere in my remarks. Happy reading!...
When I left Utah to go down to live in the Los Angeles area with my dad and step-mom (who I call mom), and brother the summer before my Junior year in high school I had no idea what was in store for me over the next couple of years. The friends that I made, the different family members I finally got to really grow to know, the growing experiences, etc. When I left to go on my mission two years later, I left a place that I loved more than anything I could ever have imagined. Yes, the climate was amazing and the beach was only an hour away. Yes, I had no real responsibilities while I was there other than graduating high school and staying out of trouble (oops!); but it wasn't the actual geographical location that had really won me over. The people who I had developed friendships with, my family members who I had forged stronger relationships with, and the memories that I had created with them was what REALLY made Southern California such an incredible place to me. That was my home.
When I would come up to Utah to visit friends and family, I would always realize just how much I missed it here. Yes, I love the mountains here. Yes I love the different seasons that Utah offers...well, forces upon you in some circumstances. What I REALLY loved about Utah were the people who had had such an impact on my life up to that point and who had helped make sure that I was watched over. Those were the people who were there for me when I struggled, and who were there for me to cheer me on when I was doing well. It was because of those people that I strongly considered moving back a couple of times in high school. That was where I felt I belonged when I'd visit...or at least that's what the home sickness in me would try to convince me of, anyway.
Here I am, over 8 years later, sitting in my room in Orem. I still love Utah county and enjoy living here. I still long to go home to California whenever I get the chance. Being in my parent's home is my refuge where I can truly relax and let down any guards that I have. But it's still not the climate that draws so much affection from me, nor is it the majestic scenery of these two beautiful places. It's the people in my life who I literally owe everything to, collectively.
One of my best friends, Billy, is moving in on Monday to share my room with me, so I started making room for him earlier tonight. Upon doing so, I stumbled across my mission stuff, and among these items were tapes upon which my dad had recorded my calls home. I'd never listened to them so I popped in the call from Christmas 2004. As I was listening to my family members, and even Rachel Nelson (now Morgan), talk to me, I started looking through pictures from high school in California. TALK ABOUT NOSTALGIA! I almost got all choked up as I looked back to what I think I can safely call the happiest time of my life. It was fun to listen to the conversations, littered with speculations about the future, and to hear the encouragement that they all gave me. It was fun/crazy to hear parts of conversations and to be able to remember having the conversation originally. It really made me realize how truly, incredibly blessed I am to have such amazing people in my life.
Temporal things are nice. I really enjoy my car, and I love having nice things, but in the end they truly are meaningless to me. What I'm REALLY grateful for are the incredible people in my life, past and present. Happiness for me doesn't come from the U.S. Treasury, or things that I can purchase at the mall. PEOPLE are my happiness. My memories come from the amazing individuals in my life, and because of that I'd say that I'm outright euphoric right now!
When I left Utah to go down to live in the Los Angeles area with my dad and step-mom (who I call mom), and brother the summer before my Junior year in high school I had no idea what was in store for me over the next couple of years. The friends that I made, the different family members I finally got to really grow to know, the growing experiences, etc. When I left to go on my mission two years later, I left a place that I loved more than anything I could ever have imagined. Yes, the climate was amazing and the beach was only an hour away. Yes, I had no real responsibilities while I was there other than graduating high school and staying out of trouble (oops!); but it wasn't the actual geographical location that had really won me over. The people who I had developed friendships with, my family members who I had forged stronger relationships with, and the memories that I had created with them was what REALLY made Southern California such an incredible place to me. That was my home.
When I would come up to Utah to visit friends and family, I would always realize just how much I missed it here. Yes, I love the mountains here. Yes I love the different seasons that Utah offers...well, forces upon you in some circumstances. What I REALLY loved about Utah were the people who had had such an impact on my life up to that point and who had helped make sure that I was watched over. Those were the people who were there for me when I struggled, and who were there for me to cheer me on when I was doing well. It was because of those people that I strongly considered moving back a couple of times in high school. That was where I felt I belonged when I'd visit...or at least that's what the home sickness in me would try to convince me of, anyway.
Here I am, over 8 years later, sitting in my room in Orem. I still love Utah county and enjoy living here. I still long to go home to California whenever I get the chance. Being in my parent's home is my refuge where I can truly relax and let down any guards that I have. But it's still not the climate that draws so much affection from me, nor is it the majestic scenery of these two beautiful places. It's the people in my life who I literally owe everything to, collectively.
One of my best friends, Billy, is moving in on Monday to share my room with me, so I started making room for him earlier tonight. Upon doing so, I stumbled across my mission stuff, and among these items were tapes upon which my dad had recorded my calls home. I'd never listened to them so I popped in the call from Christmas 2004. As I was listening to my family members, and even Rachel Nelson (now Morgan), talk to me, I started looking through pictures from high school in California. TALK ABOUT NOSTALGIA! I almost got all choked up as I looked back to what I think I can safely call the happiest time of my life. It was fun to listen to the conversations, littered with speculations about the future, and to hear the encouragement that they all gave me. It was fun/crazy to hear parts of conversations and to be able to remember having the conversation originally. It really made me realize how truly, incredibly blessed I am to have such amazing people in my life.
Temporal things are nice. I really enjoy my car, and I love having nice things, but in the end they truly are meaningless to me. What I'm REALLY grateful for are the incredible people in my life, past and present. Happiness for me doesn't come from the U.S. Treasury, or things that I can purchase at the mall. PEOPLE are my happiness. My memories come from the amazing individuals in my life, and because of that I'd say that I'm outright euphoric right now!
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