"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry,
and see a fine picture every day of his life,
in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul."
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
About 14 months ago I moved to Stockton, California, from the San Francisco Bay Area. It wasn't the easiest move to go through, in fact it was traumatic, and depressing, and more than a little frightening! But it wasn't because we were moving to Stockton, it was because of the suddenness of the situation, and the people who did their best to drain the life out of Alan and I. It all started in late March of 2015, and the days turned into weeks, and eventually months of pain, and uncertainty, until one day Alan and I said enough is enough, and we put the drama behind us, and moved to Stockton!
With the help of a magnificent real estate agent, we found our forever house, within a few weeks. I knew the moment we pulled up to the curb in front of it, that we were finally, and for always... home. But once all the process of purchasing a house was over, and we finally put the keys into the door lock for the first time, something seemed to grab me, and pull me down into one of the longest, deepest, depressions I have ever experienced.
But it wasn't because we were in Stockton, and it wasn't because of the house, to the contrary, the house seemed like a big hug from the first moment I saw it. We had seen other houses around Stockton, all fine in their own way, but this house was special. It was "born" in 1962, the same year I was, and last year, when it went on the market it was listed on my birthday! It just feels like the house has been waiting for Alan and I all our lives! We are finally... home! Our home!
But during that first year I didn't leave the house. Not for errands. Not for fresh air. Not for any reason. I just stayed inside and let myself feel all the feelings that I felt I couldn't let out when our lives changed in 2015. I held it all in. I kept it together when it was happening, but eventually it all got so buried that I couldn't deal with life outside the walls that I felt kept me safe. My home became my cocoon.
So how am I now? Well, autumn came around this year, and like most autumns throughout my life, I began to feel alive again! The heat of the summer is gone now, and there is a distinct chill in the air that allows me to feel alive again! We began our vacation on October 13th, and we still have about 2 weeks left of it, and with each day has come a new feeling of contentment. We have finally begun to enjoy the new town we live in, Stockton!
Its an amazing city, generally ignored by the Bay Area, but let me tell you, it's awesome! Its fairly quiet for a large town, and while it's certainly had its problems in recent years, it is finding it's way back to life, kinda the same way I am. There is a lot of public art to enjoy, some gorgeous, truly gorgeous, old buildings that speak to the rich history of the city, and some pretty fantastic restaurants! There is a lot here to fall in love with, and I believe that Stockton is going to be the place to live in a few years, and will give the Bay Area a serious run for it's money as things progress!
Sometimes you just have to give people, and places time to heal.
You know my love of public art, well, above you see the first piece that I choose to post for your enjoyment! It is a postcard mural, painted on the side of one of those wonderful old historic buildings I told you about! The mural, and the artist that painted it, have a rich history of their own. The mural features the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Dave Brubeck has a history with Stockton, in that he attended the College of the Pacific, in Stockton! You can read about them here. Please click through and read about how this lovely mural, came about. There will be more murals to come in the series, so stay tuned to my blog to see more.
I am looking forward to sharing my new hometown with you!
Leaf Of The Day
November 3rd, 2016
Mood: Happy
~Me :)
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