Small Town Girl

So here I am in San Francisco, California – and gee, it’s actually kind of cold. I didn’t expect that. I didn’t expect a lot of what is here… really I’ve led quite a sheltered life. The sounds and smells of a big city are both intoxicating and a bit inhibiting – at least for me. There are people everywhere, and constant noise. I understand better the meaning behind wanting to escape the city. While I love the thrill of walking around these hilly streets, exploring the fun stores I’ve only ever seen in movies and could never actually afford to shop in, hustling and bustling along with everyone else who all obviously have somewhere very important to be going – or is that just the pace of this city – I don’t know, I miss my small town. The smells are as loud as the sirens and trolley bells, and they linger on my hair and clothing. There is no escape. The lines are long. The stores are full of people. How can you make a decision of what to buy when you are shoulder to shoulder with dozens of others, their voices competing with the thundering music that blares and drowns out your heartbeat that threatens to explode? I can’t. I can hardly browse, let alone breathe. I suppose I’ve been spoiled with so much peace and solitude in my life. I’ve become slow-paced and relaxed and could hardly deal with a long line-up at The Cheesecake Factory – though the reward was more than scrumptious. Riding elevators reaching the maximum capacity makes my small townhome filled with family seem like a mansion. The homeless beggars are everywhere, and there are people from all over the world within a few small blocks. Homeless or not, they have made the city their home. Or perhaps they are just visiting, as am I. So for a few days I will enjoy the thrill of big city life, knowing that my quiet life awaits, and this will just be a short but enjoyable adventure. Where else can I find palm trees surrounding an outdoor ice rink with Tiffany and Co. overlooking? Funny, I never thought of myself as a small town girl… nor have I thought of my life as a mother of four quiet. Perspective is a powerful and pleasant precept.