Such a beautiful city...

 

Every time I mention to someone that I went to school in San Francisco or that I'm heading back, chances are, the first phrase I hear is, "Oh, it's such a beautiful city."

Oddly, I never really understood what it was about San Francisco that most tourists find so beautiful. Was it the Golden Gate Bridge? The Painted Ladies? Lombard Street? The cable cars? To me, San Francisco always reminded me of a distinctive smell in the air (yes, even with the homeless making camp by the BART stations) and the feeling of "hiking" up the countless "hills" in the warm sunshine with the chilly summer air against my skin. I never understand what they meant by beautiful, but a few Fridays ago, when we made a quick, unplanned stop at Crissy Field before heading to Fort Mason for the OffTheGrid food trucks, I realized what everyone was talking about.

The city is beautiful. And it's not just about the bridge, or the sunset, or the weather, or the people. It was the city. Everything about it -- the good, the bad, the ugly, the unexpected. Simply being here has made me less grumpy, want to eat healthier and treat myself and everyone around me better. For now, I'm just glad I'm here and need to keep reminding myself of what's really important to me. 

Posted via email from I am Audrey.