Friends, values, & places

This weekend I had the joy of sitting down with good friends, friends who bring out a different side of me, inspire me, and make me think. Don’t we all wish we could spend time with those friends more often? I certainly do! So it was bittersweet, enjoying their company but also knowing that I’ve made a choice to live very far from these friends. What did I feel like I enjoyed so much in these friends, I thought to myself as I took the long 8 hour drive home. One word came to mind- enthusiasm. I loved their enthusiasm. Maybe I am overselling it to myself, after all, we were there for a birthday party and who wouldn’t be enthusiastic at such a fun celebration? But for one reason or another, I felt I had lacked such enthusiasm amongst friends for some time and I really enjoyed it!

Tim made an interesting point, contrasting where we used to live versus where we live now. Values. What do people value, as a whole, where we live now? I couldn’t help think that in Sonoma, the traits that we value most, as a community, and that we hold others up for are 1) loyalty to Sonoma, 2) community giving, 3) being earth-conscious – whether it be environmentally-conscious, sustainability-focused, or prioritizing farm-to-table . All these things come with a huge weight of guilt and giving of ourselves to prioritize the greater good. All things that I myself agree with and value. I also value other things like education, pursuit of happiness, peace, and the joy of inspiration. But, I miss some of the things that Orange County values create in its culture. I do miss that in Orange County, people look like they care for themselves, hold themselves higher and more confident, have great ambition, and are outwardly very positive, in both the amount they smile and in their belief in the future.

It’s all important – it’s all about balance. There is no “better” and there is no “perfect” – and for me, perhaps my happiness is in knowing that I have friends and influences in both places to keep me balanced.

It was nice to know that I can drive down there, with my kids, without it being too much. Nice to know that being close to these friends and this other influence is not so impossible to be part of, even if just for a weekend.

It was also nice to return home and love what I have here. Small streets. Lots of nature, green, vineyards, hills. I love my home that feels so private and peaceful. I love the rooms in my house, my office, family room, big windows, front art room. I love that my kids are so happy. I love that they are nurtured and creative and see giving all around them.