There are a number of cautionary tales about leaving home in search of greener pastures. One such story is The Wizard of Oz, in which Dorothy wishes to go to a place somewhere over the rainbow. In the end of the tale, she realizes that there is no place like home. Yet, there continues to be something in the human spirit that causes us to seek out new frontiers, or at least dream about them. We cannot help but wonder if our lives would be better if we lived somewhere else.
Southern California has always been my home. Every year, people move here by the thousands. Many are lured by hopes of stardom. Some come because of the temperate weather. Though we've had an unusually cold and rainy Winter and Spring, more often than not, there is sunshine and temperatures that rarely go below 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
I live within driving distance to the beach and the mountains, so could surf and ski within the same day. (Actually, I don't surf or ski, but intend to take them up as soon as I learn how to swim and conquer my aversion to the cold). The streets here may not be paved with gold, but a lot are lined with palm trees. Palm trees are not native to California and had to be imported from somewhere else; but that's another story.
Besides the weather, other advantages to living in Southern California are the museums, theatres, nightclubs, art galleries, and theme parks. There are Starbucks (coffee houses) on practically every corner. (Well, that might be an exaggeration, but there are a lot of them). Those bored with coffee can amuse themselves at tennis courts, golfing greens, bowling alleys, ice-skating rinks, equestrian centers, racetracks, baseball or football stadiums, and malls. Oddly enough, on some weekends my husband and I look at one another and complain that there is nothing to do. I suppose it is similar to standing before a closet full of clothes and saying you have nothing to wear.
Even with all the perks that come with living in Los Angeles, I also wonder what it would be like to live somewhere else. A place without so much traffic, noise, pollution and crowds. Somewhere I could walk to my destination instead of drive. I remember hearing about such a place, once, in a lullaby.
