Keeping it Local

                                                              The view we enjoyed during our coffee date

                         

   My husband and I have been living together for seventeen years now.  Happily renting in Los Angeles.  That’s usually the cue for gasps and the inevitable questions of “Why don’t they own their own home?  Or a condo at least?”

   Well, before we moved into our present home, we did look.  And the truth is we couldn’t afford to own anything in our neighborhood.  So we made a decision to continue to rent so that we could live and work in the same community.  For neither one of us likes our cars enough to be trapped in them for hours on a daily basis.

   But last week, I had one of those moments where I thought, “How many other people can do this?”  And we could simply because of where we live.

   Let me share.

   After we took our son to our local public elementary school, my husband and I decided to get a coffee.  A coffee from the little cafe within our gated community.  We sat in a park-like setting, marveling at the blue sky, the tall palm trees, the relaxing sound of the fountain.  We drank our coffees, we talked, and we relaxed.  We even went for a short walk.  All within a few minutes of our front door.

   And I don’t think many people can have that experience.  They’re busy commuting.  Spending time in their cars, far away from home.  Seventeen years later, we’re content to be renters.  

   And then it occurred to me that it wasn’t just where we were but what we were doing that was pretty exceptional as well.  My husband (of sixteen years) and I were enjoying each other’s company.  No frills, no distractions.  Just the two of us, sitting and talking, and liking each other.

   And I think that’s pretty remarkable.