I don’t know about you, but I’ve come to realize that growing up, I took my hometown for granted😱
I know this now because all of the fun places we’ve visited on this Sabbatical so far, are places that had been here all along!
Sometimes, it does seem that people tend to become complacent with their surroundings, their careers, and ultimately their lives. 🤔
Living in Los Angeles, we were often surprised when people would tell us they had never watched a show at the Hollywood Bowl, which in my opinion, is one of the most magical natural amphitheaters in the US.
But then again, it would always be there, in their backyard… so there was no sense of urgency… at all.🤨
The same was for us, here in Western Colorado.
Michael & I lived here for over a dozen years, surrounded by what could be described as a vivid landscape, filled with majestic mountains ⛰ 🏔flowing rivers and historic canyons. All, incredibly welcoming of those explorers seeking adventure and willing to get a little mud on the tires… literally!
Okay, okay… so I’ve always been sort of a city girl, and back then, the great outdoors was not so great to me.
I’ve grown up a lot since then and my priorities have changed… Now, I’m still not the boon-docking, no showers, no toilets camping- type- of- gal, but I will definitely take on a hiking challenge! 🧗🏽♀️
Notice pic below of me thoroughly enjoying the lemon squeezer hike!
No matter where we’ve been however, we always remember the people.
Those characters that made us laugh, 😂🤣😂 helped us out of a bind, sat down and drank a glass🍷 (or bottle) of wine with us. It seems that we always take advantage of those chance meetings when we’re on vacation somewhere, yet fail to see these opportunities in our daily lives.🤔
Living in a small town gives you the chance to get up-close and personal with people you often see out in the community. 👍🏽
The restaurant owners that will stop on their tracks during the dinner rush hour to tell you the story of how they maxed out 25 credit cards 💳 😳 to get their business off the ground. The seamstress that worked from the attic of a small dress shop and now has her own studio 👏🏽 on Main Street, who can share her infinite wisdom on the vanishing art of tailoring, while at the same time, being proud that the girl she designed a wedding gown for, many moons ago, is now designing a garment of her own!!!
Stay tuned for the exciting details on that!!!!😉
The lesson here is that there are experiences that do require a certain degree of urgency, because we’re not exactly promised another day…🙏🏽
So, go out and grasp the opportunity to sit down with that friend, 👭the one with an hour layover in the airport before heading out to South Africa… Go watch the tree lighting 🎄 ceremony at your local community center and maybe strike up a conversation with that character you’ve been curious about. 🧐
Even better, drive an hour outside of town and get lost in what could be… the unexpected has a way of surprising us in more ways than one. ☺️
The Sabbatical 
I lived in San Diego for a while and experienced this. It’s hard to be a tourist in your own town when you’ve got all kinds of things going on. You just have to set out a plan, and approach it like you’re going to a place for the first time! 😊
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