hmmm

It’s been a while.

Not really.. It’s been a few weeks. That’s forgivable.

I am back in the United States of In n Out, amazing weather, and singing siblings. Yes, I’m riding high on the #westcoastbestcoast . It’s strange. As aforementioned in a previous post, I discussed how being away made me more thankful for what I do have. I have so much to be thankful for.

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”

– Terry Pratchett

So, I’m back. This is not to say that homehomehome is necessarily better because it isn’t. I’ve realized there is no “better”. It’s different than Italy, for sure. I don’t know how to articulate it yet but I am different. And while being away made me miss the idea of home, I am significantly more conscious of familiarity.

Familiarity: the quality of being well known; recognizability based on long or close association

Alone, familiarity can be comforting but it can also be a limiting reagent. It is based on multiple interactions with a common idea or experience. As far as limiting reagents are concerned, prior concepts or traits are expected as personality constraints and while some change is different, others are unwelcome. To sum it up, I am different but preexisting notions have me bound to expectations that discourage evolution.

Weird, right?

I want to react, respond, and be proactive in ways I’ve grown accustomed to but they’re not so much welcome. For example, with friends, they make references to something that you once thought was hilarious but, for some reason, isn’t the slightest bit comical anymore.

Dependence on familiarity can also cause apprehension towards difference and growth. As observed from my peers, the slightest change can cause a thousand adverse reactions. I’m not sure I like this.

But it’s human, instinctive, and I, too, am guilty of reacting poorly on countless occasions.

Enough with the negative. It’s good to be home. I love the familiar smells of the kitchen, familiar embracing of my family and close friends, and the familiar sun.

Speaking of sun, it was 75 degrees Fahrenheit at 9 AM today. How awesome is that?

ps i will upload UK photos eventually