If you could live anywhere in the United States, where would it be? My ideal spot would probably be San Francisco.
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p style=”text-align: center;”>Photo by Sasha • Instagram.com/sanfrancisco on Unsplash
It’s been many years since I have visited this amazing city, and I’ve been looking for an excuse to go back. This summer I will finally get that chance, albeit for only one night. While San Francisco has its share of problems, no doubt, it’s the kind of place where I would love to live.
Ideally, our apartment would be located within short walking distance of the Fisherman’s Wharf Few times per week I would stop by Boudin Bakery to get some sourdough bread, a local specialty. On the weekends we would go for a drive and find a spot with this type of view:
Photo by Trent Erwin on Unsplash
Naturally, being based in California, we would have to go to Hawaii at least once a year, right? That’s where Singapore program would come in handy, since it partners with United (SFO is a major United hub). California dreaming…
Sadly, the chances of us moving to San Francisco any time soon are as good as me going into space. There are many reasons for that. For one, it’s a very expensive place to live. I’m not the first person who ever visited San Francisco and decided that hey, it looks pretty darn neat!
Also, my in-laws are getting old and will soon be needing our constant attention (despite them being in denial about this simple fact). Not a major reason, but it makes more sense for me to live on the east coast because it’s closer to Europe where my sister and parents currently reside.
And to be fair, our life in rural Florida is not without excitement. Just look at the traffic jam we came across the other day:
I’m sure this incident will make it into a local newspaper (rolls eyes)
It’s not a place where I ever pictured myself living, yet here I am.
The other day I was talking to my mother-in-law who grew up in Tampa and never thought she would end up in the country. Forty years later, there is nowhere she would rather be. She told me when my father-in-law first got a job here, she cried. Then she cried every day for a year after they moved from the city.
But one afternoon she saw a card in the store that had a picture of a flower growing through cracks in the concrete. The card said: “Bloom where you are planted.” She bought the card, put it on her fridge and never looked back.
It’s so easy to look longingly at other places and to say to yourself: “If only I moved there, I would finally be happy, be content.” The truth is, life rarely works that way. We bring our baggage (the figurative kind) with us wherever we go. The anxiety, depression, insecurities…they follow you like a shadow.
Travel is a wonderful escape from the mundane, no doubt, but it won’t solve your long-term issues. The same goes for having millions of miles and points. Oh the places you can go! But most folks can’t bear the thought of letting their balances dip beyond a certain number. So they go and go… to Walmart. Anybody who is getting into miles and points hobby with the idea of obtaining happiness is looking in the wrong place.
Happiness means being content and grateful for what you have on a daily basis. I have a loving husband and two healthy kids. What more can I ask for? And hey, living in Florida (even the rural kind) is not so bad. The beach is only one hour away, and this is the view I enjoy every day when I drop the kids off at school:
San Francisco? We don’t need no stinkin’ San Francisco.
Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
I have family in San Francisco and I used to live and work there. Parking was a nightmare whenever we tried to go out. Once, we were supposed to meet friends for dinner. One of the guys couldn’t find a parking spot so after 30 min he just drove back home and didn’t show up. Buses can be slow and ghetto.
Of course, that wouldn’t be an issue, if you can afford to live close to Fisherman’s Wharf and everything you need is in walking distance.
Six years ago, I moved an hour south and never looked back. Although, the commute is getting worse these days with blooming economy in Silicon Valley…
@Katye I hear everything you are saying! The problem with nice cities like San Francisco is that they are not really equipped to handle modern day challenges. I’m sure downtown parking is a nightmare. In order to live near Fisherman’s Wharf, you have to make a ton of money. That’s never going to happen to us!
I just found your blog and enjoyed your article. I live less than 1/2 hour from San Francisco (suburban living with quick visits to see the SF sites and beauty), but sometimes I wish that I could experience living in another part of the country (like Florida). Thanks for reminding us about finding happiness where you are! Looking forward to following your blog.
@Carly Thank you for stopping by! I’m a little jealous because I would love to live near San Francisco. But you are right, you can find happpiness no matter where you are. Central area of Florida is actually quite beautiful, so I can’t complain. I just wish we were closer to the beach, but I bet many people would love to trade places with me right now. Winter up north can be brutal!
Great post! A good reminder that sometimes, instead of chasing that cool trip to a new place, we need to just be present and be grateful for all that we have.
@Cynthia I absolutely agree. In this day and age we have information overload and there is always that new trip to chase after. It can be hard hard to slow down and smell the roses, figuratively speaking.
New reader to the blog. We loved our visits to SF so much we decided to get a one month rental to try it out before leaving our home in rural California. 20 days in and we couldn’t survive. When you get into everyday life. Shopping, traffic, stress, crowds, it was a completely different experience than as a tourist.
@Jason Very interesting comment! And it makes perfect sense. As a tourist, we often focus on the best parts of what the destination has to offer. But the reality is, every place has its share of problems. I grew up in a city, though it wasn’t as large as San Francisco. That said, I’ve now lived in a country for so long, I would probably feel overwhelmed by the city life on a daily basis. Thanks for sharing your experience and for following the blog.
Beautifully written with a heartfelt thought. Nice to get a dose of spirit while doing what do. I do love your sense of humor and writing style. I think it meshes well with point collecting.
@DonDover Thank you so much for reading! I do try to mix it up now and again and add a more personal post on occasion. To be honest, those are the most enjoyable ones to write. It’s a bit of a therapy, LOL
I agree with your conclusion! 😉 I live about 5 hours north of SF and I visit as rarely as possible, let alone living there! Too many people and cars. I love our quiet, empty area on the coast! 🙂
@David T It sounds like you got the best of both worlds! I seriously doubt my husband would ever agree to move to San Francisco. He is a “country” kind of guy. And I suppose I’ve become a little bit “country” myself over the years. 🙂