Ode to California

Dear California,

I regrettably have to put our relationship on hold for the time being. It’s not you, it’s me. Well, actually part of it is you. But don’t take it personally. You have the eighth largest economy in the world–being that big means you crash harder than most. Don’t get me wrong, I love well-endowed states. But your (ahem) shrinking assets leave our relationship on rocky ground. I can’t live in a state that offers no long-term growth, which honestly isn’t fair to either of us. Well, I should really come out with the truth: I have found another state that offers stability, safety, and job opportunities. It cannot ever match what we have had these last 23 years, and who knows, maybe there’s a future for us down the road. Our history alone makes you unforgettable. But this is what I have decided, and like it or not I am leaving you.

You’re truly amazing, Cali. I spent all my formative years growing up in Atascadero, which has grown on me since I left it. Los Angeles was our period of mutual dislike and distrust, and I hadn’t realized how you had let yourself go until I was stuck there. Santa Cruz has quickly become the epicenter of putting myself back together. Now whole once again, I must move on. I hope to return someday, be it 6 months or a few years. I have grown so much, especially in the last few years, and I thank you for that. Your diversity is breathtaking, your ocean and mountains reassuring, and your residents change my life on a regular basis. Don’t ever change… and if you do, progress rather than regress.

I love you,

Kylee