My sister and I often compare ourselves to Aesop's The City Mouse and The Country Mouse. We're completely opposite. She lives in the country and I live in the city. We both grew up in the country. But ironically, in our youth, I was the one that was all about the country. And she was quite the "city" girl. I rode horses. She had a fast car. I rode the bus and went to a rural school. She went to the big city public school (the biggest one around anyway). I hung out at the ranch, worked outside with the family, played with the animals. . .enjoyed the country life. And she was always on the go, shopping, working, socializing. I thought she was so cool. She had the latest music, fashions, make up and hairstyles. And I wanted to be just like her.
Little did we know at that time, that we'd soon change roles. Although I loved my country life, I always had a need for adventure and trying new things. I knew there was more out there beyond the walls of our fair city. I suppose it was our father who introduced us to travel and gave me a taste for that. So after college, and a short stop in Kansas City, I set out on an adventure to the west coast and landed in Portland, Oregon. Kansas City had been bigger than any city I had lived before, but I quickly outgrew it and was looking for more.
Portland seemed to curb my appetite for quite awhile (like 7 years!) It was like no place I had ever lived before. It was metropolitan, but with a small town feel. It had culture, art, music and food like I had never experienced. It had public transportation and bike lanes! It was lush and green and beautiful. This small town girl was suddenly riding a bus and the Metro line like no other. But most importantly, it gave this little country mouse a chance to spread her wings, gain independence, find a career, learn, grow and become the person I am today.
But the city mouse in me was always looking for the next adventure, seeking bigger and better things (and needing more sun and less rain). Somehow, I knew that I had outgrown this place and had learned all of the lessons I needed to take my show to the big time. And if you're on the west coast, there seems to be nothing bigger or better than. . .dah. . .dah. . .dah. . .Los Angeles, the City of Angels, LaLa Land. This was a place I had always coveted and dreamed of living. It had everything I thought I could ever want and I was ready for the challenges it would present.
So with that dream firmly planted in my brain, I began taking action to make it happen. Never one to make hasty decisions, I made sure the course was perfectly plotted. . .job (check), house (check), funding (check). In the spring of 2004, I made my move. Nothing less than the heart of Hollywood could fulfill this little thrill seeking mouse. So I planted myself in an apartment near the legendary crossroads of Hollywood and Vine, started working at a fashion PR firm and began dating a "rockstar". Go mouse go!
This was all fine and good, for awhile. But somewhere in the back of my mind I always felt the undeniable pull of my country roots. So fast forward five years. . .I'm now married to the rockstar (who's really just a sweet and simple southern boy from Louisiana), I've quit my big-time fashion job (and started my own small company) and I was ready to get out of the heart of Hollywood to somewhere where the pace was just slightly slower.
And this brings us to the unthinkable. We moved to "The Valley". No one on the right side of the hill would ever consider living in the Valley. My husband and I said from Day 1, "we'll never move to the Valley." But now, almost a year since moving here, I couldn't imagine anything better. We may not have all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood all around us, but we're just a stone's throw away when we want it. We have all of the little luxuries I never knew were luxuries until arriving in the big city: unlimited parking, a yard with grass for the dogs, trees, larger-than-life parks and green space, frolicking squirrels in our back yard, friendly neighbors who smile and say hello and even a swimming pool! I no longer hear my neighbors and their barking dogs, smell what they are having for dinner or fight with them over parking spaces. And did I mention the lack of traffic and noise, helicopters patrolling the neighborhood every night and how friendly the people are? Oh the simple joys that make life so much easier and more pleasant.
So in my own little way, I guess I've come full circle. You can take the mouse out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the mouse. And in many ways, I think my sister and I are much more alike than we think. I love you country mouse!
0 comments:
Post a Comment