Rogue Valley Dreaming

Medford, I wanted to leave it so badly. It was too small, and too far from anything. I was ready to go out and meet new people and do new things. I wanted to see things and do things that were different and new. I didn't want to be trapped by the mountains with nothing to do. I went back to visit a few times, but then my Mom moved to Silverton and I had no reason to. The truth is I didn't miss my hometown. I was happy. Even when I went back for visits, I stayed in Ashland and did touristy things. I didn't see myself ever wanting to live there again. When I left I was very sad and I connected that sadness to the place.

That was before I was about to be a Mom. Impending parenthood puts things in perspective. Jill, Lisa and I spent a girls weekend in Medford in October. We stayed at a Marriot a mile from my old home on Micheal Park. It was the first time I had stayed in Medford instead of Ashland. We did Ashland, but we also shopped at the Rogue Valley Mall and ate at the Bella Union. I gave my best friends a tour, my house, Grace, PHS. Suddenly I remembered what an amazing place it was to grow up in.

People are nice,  they smile and say hi. The mountains are beautiful. The great outdoors are a half hour drive away, you can raft the river and see a world class theatre company perform in the same day. Also, no one would bat an eye if we lived out and planted our organic farm and had little hippie children. What is it about my former classmates and their hippie children? What is it about growing up in the Rogue Valley that makes you want to have a little farm and focus on your family?  It just seems simpler. In the past year, I have slowly begun to accept that I could be really happy to move back to  my hometown. I think it would be the perfect place to raise our kids.

I don't know if God's plan will ever take us back there. For now I will be content with visits. In August we are renting a cabin at Greensprings. I know it isn't perfect. The economy is tough and it is far from so many things, but it is sunny. I would not miss the rain. Maybe I am just getting old and sentimental.