It's a Good Life

I have this friend. Let's call her Grace.

Grace has a very nice life. She has a charming husband whom she loves and is in love with. She has two charming, healthy children.

She has a well-paying job that she loves and where she is able to work a less-than-full-time schedule.

Her husband owns his own business, doing what he loves, and is able to work a somewhat flexible schedule.

She and her husband recently bought a big, beautiful home in a wonderful neighborhood. They live on a cul-de-sac where their kids roam and play safely with their neighbors' children. They were able to buy their home for far less than it is worth (and much less than what many of their neighbors paid).

Grace's parents live nearby and are occasionally able to help out with the kids. Grace also has lots of other family and friends nearby.

Grace and her family live in San Diego.

Enough said. Are you ready to kill Grace with your eye-daggers of envy yet?

Her life is pretty much perfect. I'm jealous of her on a regular basis. I'm pretty sure she has more bathrooms than I have rooms.

And yet, she called me today asking me if I had to live somewhere else, where would it be? She knew that I'd lived in Los Angeles, Washington DC, Atlanta, Savannah, and Boston. (Sheesh, I get tired just thinking about all that moving.)

She and her husband are talking about leaving San Diego.

My reaction: Excuse me, wha-HUH?!

Because her life? Is seriously about as good as it gets.

But even with the two of them working, Grace and her husband are going broke living in this crazy-expensive state. Which seems to be getting more and more expensive by the minute. And THAT? I can completely relate to.

But even paying through the nose for everything from groceries to gas to the mortgage cannot deflate my excitement about living here and my bewilderment that Grace and her husband would want to leave.

Now I know, San Diego is not for everyone. But if you happen to have family in an area of the country that is so astoundingly beautiful and so eminently enjoyable year-round, like we do, and like Grace does, how do you think that moving somewhere else will be better?

We don't have a big fancy house. We don't live in a stellar neighborhood. I don't have a job that I'm passionate about, or any job for that matter.

But I have a home. A charming husband whom I love and am in love with. Two (mostly) charming, healthy children. And lots of family and friends nearby.

And we live in America's Finest Freaking City.

You couldn't drag me out of here if you tried.
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