I have this mapping software at work, at various times when I have a slow moment and I need a break, I find it entertaining to ‘visit’ various places in the country and just zoom in and take a peak. You can only look at streets and certain various landmarks are noted, Google maps would probably work better, you can do an actual street view with that but I always have this at my fingertips.
Anyway, I found myself zooming into San Diego today. Ah, San Diego. I’ve been there twice, both times with a former partner. My list trip there was more than 10 years ago, give or take. But when I went I had not traveled much at all in my life so I quickly became enamored with the city. A dry, sunny 78 degrees for most of the year, it is a true paradise.
My partner and I broke up in 1999, eventually being able to become friends again. I suspect when we started hanging out again he secretly hoped we’d get back together. I won’t go into my evidence for that, but it just bears mentioning.
In 2000, he was approaching his graduation from college and was planning, as he always had, to move back to San Diego. You see, he had been stationed there when he joined the Navy out of high school. After leaving the Navy he stayed. I don’t remember how long he lived there but he eventually decided he wanted a better life so he came back to Kentucky to get his education and be with his family. Always planning on going back.
At this time in my life I had decided I wanted to move to a bigger city and San Diego seemed like the perfect move, bold, sunny, California! So we started making plans. Eventually those plans came to naught, for a couple of big reasons I won’t go into it right now.
Looking back on it, I don’t have 20/20 hindsight concerning the city or that time in my life. I don’t romanticize it. It’s a great place to be sure and that was a fun time for me.
However, I can’t help but wonder how my life would be going if there had been some way I actually upped and moved. Would I better off? Would I have found happiness?
When he first went out there, he very quickly met what seems to be a great guy. They moved in together and seemed happy. From his reports they seemed to be partying a lot, doing some things I found questionable, but who am I to judge? But part of is definitely glad I never had the opportunity to be involved with that. I haven’t here where I live, but I think I would have in San Diego. Would I even be alive today? I know I have a great capacity to do stupid things, my one saving grace is I tend to be introverted so I don’t get exposed to a lot of things just by virtue of that.
As I was staring at the map today I was reminded of the streets we went up and down in the Hillcrest neighborhood, University, Washington, Park. I wonder how his life is going, I wonder if he’s ok. Is he happy?
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