дома

One day I will return to you, my true home. Don’t get me wrong; I love it here in San Diego. The weather is perfect; the people are [for the most part] kind. I’ve gotten to see and experience many things that I wouldn’t have if I had stayed living in Virginia. But this is not home … and if I had not been to you, I may not even recognize that things could be improved or that I was missing something.

Everything about you beckons me to come back, and one day I will. Even the photos from my brief stay reveal a level of contentment, of wonder and an overwhelmed sense of beauty that reflects the breathtaking countryside. I know that I exhibit no such appearance when gazing at anything here, much less when simply going about day-to-day duties.

I’m 22. I have many years ahead. I don’t know when, but I will be back to you, probably more than once. And one of the times, I pledge that I will stay and make you what you deserve to be: my home.