Disillusionment

When W and I first moved here we weren't quite ready for what we got, forest and swampy marshland. Nearly everything here is forest, swampy marshland, pavement, or the occasional river or lake shore that actually seems normal to someone of my experience. We were both really excited to find that Juneau has a Safeway. When I was growing up in California my family lived right next to a Safeway and being able to shop there while living here has helped me feel more at home. One thing that we discovered about Safeway is that there is a field, a plain grassy field, near it. I have repeatedly joked to W that this is the only field in Juneau. The other day as we were going to Safeway to shop we walked along a path on this field and the feeling overtook me to walk into the field and enjoy it better. As I did this I told W that once we move back we'll be able to enjoy more real fields like the one we were in. Then to my sudden horror (maybe horror is too strong a word, but think shock and dismay if you find horror to be a bit too much) my feet were soaked in a marshy swamp. W realized this at about the same time and we both exclaimed, "This isn't a field!" We looked farther into the 'field' to discover even more marsh. So, for the past ten months I have been walking past this marsh thinking of how nice it is to see a real - if not a bit rocky - field in Juneau and it has all been a lie! I'm sure that some people would love this sort of place full of marshes, swamps, forests, and pavement - I have had my fill. I miss fields, deciduous trees, higher elevations, real rain, thunder and lightning storms, dry ground to walk on, and - most importantly - my friends and family! Learning that my wonderful field (that reminded me of home) was actually just another marsh makes it that much easier to leave and not regret.