Finding New Rhythms, One Day at a Time

It’s been 6 months since our move back to Southern California. Overall, I’m feeling happy with our decision. We’re much closer to family and friends, and we’re starting to feel more settled. Also, the weather can’t be beat.

But even with all that, it hasn’t felt as straightforward as I expected.

Coming back to Southern California has been its own kind of adventure. The last time I lived here, I was a college student, still figuring out who I was and who I wanted to be. And what I’m realizing now is that most of life is going through that process of self-discovery. Even places you think you know can feel both familiar and different, depending on where you’re at in life.

There are moments when it feels surreal. Walking around the pier the other night, eating churros, I thought about how we used to do this on date nights in our 20s. Seventeen years later, we’re still doing the same thing, just with a toddler running around.

Being back here, I find myself reconciling two different eras of my life. I remember the late-night spontaneous hangs and house parties with friends, back before we had demanding jobs or kids with nap schedules and early bedtimes. It’s strange to look back at that version of us while juggling all our responsibilities now. 

I’m also experiencing this city through a new lens as a parent. How do I meet other parents and find new play groups? How do I reconnect with friends I haven’t seen in a while? Do I reach out, or wait for them to reach out to me? Do I still fit into the spaces I used to be a part of? How do I find or create community in this new phase of life?

To be honest, I don’t think I’ve figured it all out. I’m learning to be okay with that, and trust that things will work themselves out. Eventually I’ll find my new rhythm and routines.

In the meantime, I’m reminding myself to be present and enjoy the little things. Not the past version of them, but the ones right in front of me now.