Having moved away from my homeland when I was eighteen years old, and spending my twenties as a reporter jumping on planes two or three times a month, I now mostly travel vicariously through my girl. She has a touch of wanderlust, a lovely feeling (mentioned by some of you in the comments of my last post) that the world is hers. I love that. On Instagram, she captioned these two photos "Happy on the west coast." She came back from her weeklong trip talking about moving there, not necessarily to L.A., which is where she was, but she wants to check out San Diego. I groaned. "Oh God, do you mean we're going to have to get on a plane to see our grandchildren?" She just laughed. California whispers to her soul.
To be young and free! I love this post and the pictures of your beautiful daughter!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Drita! She reminds me of your daughter!
DeleteI actually worry a lot about my kids moving away and not seeing my grandkids. Even though I don’t have any yet. I grew up with all my grandparents within 30 minutes and I am a better person because of it.
ReplyDeleteBirdie, neither of my children's grandparents lived nearby; both sets lived in different islands, and yet my children grew up very close to both of them, especially their grandmothers. I take heart from this.
DeleteCalifornia whispered to my soul, too...though not to my wallet...
ReplyDeletee, i secretly hope the same will be true for my girl. i don't want her to move far away, but their lives are their own, right?
Delete"She just laughed."
ReplyDeleteOh Lord.
Well, hopefully wherever in her world she travels, she realizes when she comes home that that is the best place. I mean, it's not like y'all live in...Lloyd. Or even Tallahassee.
Mary, it was a cold day in New York, below freezing, and she had just been on a beach the day before. I think that had something to do with it.
DeleteShe looks so lovely with that sand and the palm trees in the background. We all seem to have an internal radar as to what "feels" like the place for us. It's wonderful that she is testing that out. But we also all have that compass that points us home, to the place we actually never leave.
ReplyDeleteI hope she stays close to you though. You would make the best grandma ever!
Thanks, Liv, I'm actually looking forward to grandma days. But not rushing it either!
DeleteOh, I definitely agree with her moving to CA, but tell her Lis Angeles is better😘. Joanne
ReplyDeleteJoanne, she had the feeling that she might get consumed by the glitz of LA, but then perhaps she only saw the touristy things, not everyday life.
DeleteInteresting. I guess you have to see the glitz but believe me, unless you live in Beverly Hills or the Palisades, there is not normally glitz. I offer to take her on tours!!! It is a beautiful place to live though as NY, housing prices are sky high. I wish her well wherever she ends up. And then again if she moves here, you’d have to visit and we’ll be real pals!♥️ Joanne
DeleteShe has grown into a beautiful woman. Their lives are their own but all the same I hope she doesn't go that far away from home. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteAndrea, i hope the same thing you do! And how beautifully your two are growing, too!
DeleteYour daughter is so beautiful. I understand her wanderlust. So wonderful to travel when young and full of dreams. California is beautiful in every direction!
ReplyDeleterobin, she's a beautiful soul, and to be honest, i hope she stays near and just travels around when the wanderlust hits. ah well.
DeleteSan Diego is lovely. However, the freeways are gridlocked from early afternoon until about 8 pm. We spent more time in bars there than we ever had, because we could not get home due to the traffic. It got old for us, and we took it off the list of places to be.
ReplyDeleteAllison, good to know! Thank you!
DeleteMy middle daughter lives in Vancouver and loves it there, despite the high prices. I miss her and have come to realize that I probably won't have my grandkids close by. Sigh. It's her life though. My own parents were awful about me moving away, made me feel so guilty. I would never do that to her.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter is lovely.
lily, you touched on something that occurred to me only later, which is that i moved away from my parents, across an ocean in fact. my father cried when i told him i would not be moving back home after college, that i planned to stay in new york. i had no idea then how this kind of news guts a parent. but all was well, and my kids grew up close to their grandparents anyway. i have never been to vancouver but i hear its beautiful there.
DeleteIt's important to let people find their true "home," isn't it? California IS a pretty fabulous place. I could easily live there!
ReplyDeleteIf she moves away, you will find a way to be in the lives of any grandchildren who may come along. Skype, if nothing else!
ReplyDeleteYour daughter is a genuinely beautiful person, inside and out. Her smile is so warm and sincere.