I now live in the suburbs of Houston. I never thought I'd end up here, but I am so grateful I did. It has honestly taken some getting used to on my part. I don't have to mow my yard, I have a guy for that. I don't have to take the trash out, there are people who pick it up from my curb. I don't have to ever wait to go to wal mart, there are at least 3 within a 6 mile radius. I live in a subdivision where there is a HOA, and neighborhood pool. Starbucks is on every corner. There are stores I've never even seen a commercial for. I've come a long way from being the blue eyed barefoot girl who would tan in her backyard in the desert of West Texas. Back then things were simple. If you needed something you waited, coffee came from the local town and country convenient store, and eating out meant going to Sonic, Dairy Queen, or Pizza Hut. Dad mowed the lawn, and mail came straight to the mailbox at your house. Even last year, things were different from my hometown, but not really. I sometimes feel like I live on a different planet, but I don't. I'm still in the same state, just in a different world.
I remember the first time I came to Houston with an ex of mine. He was from here, I never could get over how he knew where the big scary highways and interstates all went. He knew what was in the tall buildings, he was comfortable here. To me, everything was new, too big, and scary. Fast forward 3 years, and here I am. Living in a subdivision with palm trees in my yard. The locals at the dog park know my dog's name. I am starting to fit in. I know a lot about which roads go where, and the areas that are fun to explore. I'm learning more every day. I'm not scared or overwhelmed, I'm excited. I'm changing.
Life is a trip.
I've never been around large bodies of water. I'm from the desert, a town with no lake, no river, hardly enough water for plants in the yard. But here, it rains almost every day. There are lakes, bays, rivers, bayous, and the Gulf of Mexico. I'm in love with beach. I can't get enough of it. Last week Kate and the girls came up to visit. We took them to Galveston and road the ferry across to the Bolivar Peninsula. The girls were so excited. We went back two days in a row. It's literally 30 min from my house. The beach there is so peaceful. Not many people are there, and the ocean stretches out as far as you can see. It's quiet, and when the sun sets, its like an explosion in the sky. It was fun taking the girls, but most of my time was spent playing with them. It was a blast.
Yesterday I woke up in a weird mood. Its hard not knowing anyone. There is tons to do, but no one to do it with. I just felt lonely. I needed to think, to figure some stuff out. It was my last free Friday of the Summer, I didn't want to spend it at home bummed out. So I loaded Lola in my car, got a towel, my swim suite, and headed out. We went across the ferry to the beach. No one was there. I got to take her off her leash and let her run free. I also let my mind run free. There is just something special about standing next to the ocean. Its like everything that is so crammed in your mind, all your troubles, all your worries, they just wash away with the waves. I don't know how long, but I just sat on my blanket starring out into the sea. I love feeling so tiny and unimportant. Its salt water therapy. I'm in love with the beach.
Yesterday was also awesome because I got to hang out with someone I hadn't seen in 7 years. An old friend from high school. I couldn't believe it had been so long. We are still the same people, we just live in different worlds now. She's married to a doctor and is about to have a baby any day now. I'm a single high school teacher who loves cold beer and is about to finish 2 masters degrees. But we were able to pick right up where we left off. It was as if I'd seen her yesterday. Thats rare.
My thoughts today are that life changes constantly. It never stops, everyone knows this. And as much as I hate to admit it, we change too. I'm not the same person I once was. No one is. But the people we become is a result of where we have been and what choices we have made. We have the power to better our lives or make them worse. Bad luck happens, but how we handle those hurdles defines where we finish the race. If you aren't satisfied in life (some of us never will be), change it. Move forward. Its ok to move around, to try new things, to mess up. As long as we keep working hard and keep moving, we can never be stuck.
I'm excited about this new chapter. I'm excited to start teaching in Baytown, and see what life in the suburbs is really like. I'm excited to meet new people, and make new memories. But I'll never forget where I've been and the friendships I've made, because they in turn, made me.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."Proverbs 3:5-6
