Amidst the tragedy of a gorgeous, 78-degree October day, I did a search on my phone: “most livable cities in Canada.” It was the end of a long day of fires and vilification of the California way of life, and I’d had it.
I’m not the only one. I’ve known several people who have actually acted on the impulse:
The California we loved is gone…
It’s too crowded…
I can’t afford to live here…
Global warming is going to kill our environment…
It seems like stresses come at us from all directions. The fires burning around the state amidst the unseasonable beach weather. A federal government that seems to be governing against us rather than welcoming the strength of our diversity. The homeless people we see alongside the highway and in our Facebook feeds.
Does anybody know of a room for rent? I’m a quiet, responsible middle-aged single mom with a ten-year-old son…
They say that people are leaving California, and I see it. I know a whole extended family that’s moving up to Oregon. I know a guy who just traded in his California home for a veritable mansion in the Southeast. I soothe myself with searches on my phone.
Jazz scene in Calgary?
Go ahead, if it’s time for you to leave…
Here’s what it comes down to: I’m fine that some people are choosing to leave. There are a lot of people who are staying, and we love California. We’re willing to accept the difficulty of living here in exchange for the benefits. Late-night phone searches aside, there is nowhere I’d rather be right now.
Sure, we have problems…
High cost of living, crowded highways, droughts, earthquakes, troubled school systems. To read the national news, you’d think this place is a hellhole. It’s the place that people who don’t live here seem to love to hate.
But those of us who love it are willing to accept these trade-offs, work to make it a better place, and even have a few comebacks. (Remember: More people die each year shoveling snow than die in earthquakes per century!)
So go ahead and crow about how people are leaving California.
This dream is not for everyone…
Let’s face it: California has done a great job of selling the California dream, and lots of people come here to try it out. But the California dream isn’t an easy one. You don’t come to a fragile environment, overcrowded and under-watered, and expect an easy time of it.
It happened during the last technology bust, too: many of the people who had moved to the Bay Area for jobs and beautiful weather left rather than weather an economic downturn.
Love it or leave it…
If you want to love a place like California, it’s like having a difficult but enchanting spouse or a beloved old car that keeps threatening to throw its last rod. You make the investment, you make the commitment, and then you throw yourself at the mercy of your love.
Walking on the beach on a gorgeous, 78-degree November day, my husband and I have The Conversation. If we left, where would we go? We belong here. We’ll do our best to keep this place alive and thriving, but in any case, we’re willing to deal with what comes our way.
She’s a beauty, this state. You can love it or leave it, but we’re here to stay.
