David Rodstein shares about why he misses California and his journey to return home.
I was born and raised under the California sun, but have found myself living out-of-state, most recently in Seattle. I have never been able to get used to Seattle’s endless grey skies with no sun, the solitary culture associated with early sunsets and a quiet apathy in the air. As many consider moving from California due to the high cost of living, I just find myself longing for home. I miss the sunsets over the beach. I miss In-N-Out and the late-night Mexican food. I miss the long drives along the coast with no destination. I miss saying “gnarly” without awkward stares. I miss Disneyland and the Golden Gate.
I long for the seals at the beaches of La Jolla and the giant redwoods. I miss my ridiculous farmer’s tan line. I can’t help but think of Homer’s Odysseus and the king’s long journey back to his home, the island of Ithaca. Trial-after-trial should have stopped him from getting home, but he endured. Like Odysseus, I have faced a lot of unexpected obstacles. The lotus plants, sirens and sea-witches are not that different than the enticements I faced from career and adventure. It’s only too easy to forget who you are and where is home. However, even in my moments of joy and despair, I never stopped saying “I am a Californian.”
When you are in your 40s, you learn that change often comes with sacrifice. I knew my way back would require hard steps. Last year, I passed the California bar exam and enrolled in a Master of Public Affairs at UC Berkeley, completing most of my courses remotely. I have realized that my way home, like any other important goal, requires resourcefulness, resilience and persistence.
The path to Ithaca – or in my case California – can be long. However, like Odysseus, for those who don’t forget home and endure the obstacles, the landing will be triumphant. With a Perspective, I am David Rodstein.