California and a new life.

Here I am in South Pasadena, CA, adjusting to a new phase of my life--becoming a bi-coastal person with two homes. Of all of the adjustments in my life, this is one of the most interesting, although probably not the most challenging. Now in my 7th decade, to be making the adjustment from country-living to city living is something I never expected to be doing. I keep wondering if I am up to the challenge, although I am pretty sure that I am. I know that I will eventually be able to drive the streets with enough certainty about knowing where I am going that I won't have to constantly use the GPS, maps, or depend on my partner's guidance. One of the things that have learned over the years is patience. I do experience a bit of culture shock at being here just as my significant other experienced spending time with me in my much smaller community in Florida over the last 6 weeks. I know that I wouldn't even bother trying if it weren't for being with her and no obstacle seems too big to overcome when I know I want to be with her. Each of our paths have been interrupted and we have been thrown from our previous, well-worn, paths. I could experience her relaxation when we returned here from Florida and I can feel the slight discomfort of my not being in territory familiar to me. Yet, what a great opportunity to learn something quite new to me at this stage of my life--life in and around a big city on the heretofore strange left coast of the United States. I know there is a poem (or series of them) that will emerge from the changes I am experiencing and I look forward to seeing what they are going to say.