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Many didn’t understand my enthusiasm about moving to Seattle. To them, they imagined Seattle as being dark, depressing and rainy. But I didn’t care. I felt a pull to go there and I couldn’t explain why.
When the plane landed, a wave of happiness swept over me. It was drizzling outside. A blanket of gray sky was above. Passengers around me were making negative remarks about the weather. It didn’t bother me much though. To me, it was just part of the whole experience. I remember thinking, this is so Seattle!
On the shuttle ride to the car rental center the other riders all had their heads down staring at their phones. But me, I was turned almost completely around in my seat resting my chin on my hand staring out the window with the wonderment of a child just taking it all in. I noticed the bright green of the trees and how their vibrant color almost seemed to pulse with aliveness in contrast to the lack of color that surrounded them. I’d never seen anything quite like it. I thought, this is so Seattle!
Once I got my rental car I set directions on my phone to take me to my Airbnb. Immediately I went the wrong way and got completely turned around. It was raining harder now and I had minimal visibility. I turned the wipers on full blast and white knuckled my way onto the interstate. Other vehicles sped by me completely unbothered by not being able to see out their windshields. A few honked to show their annoyance with my grandma style driving.
I started feeling a bit panicky. Here I was all alone in an unfamiliar city and not only was I not sure I was even going in the right direction, I legit could barely see in front of me.
Then I turned the radio on. The station that came on was playing Alice In Chains. I smiled and turned the volume up. Layne Staley’s powerful voice blared through the speakers. I bobbed my head to the heavy beat and got lost in the haunting vocal harmonies he and Jerry Cantrell so perfectly created. My hands loosened a bit on the steering wheel. I sat back more relaxed and began driving along side the other vehicles while belting out every word of the song and thought, this is so Seattle!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the different places I’ve lived or traveled to, it’s that when you resist a place, things get hard. They fall apart even. But when you stop seeking comfort, attempting to control or reaching for what’s familiar… that’s usually when the magic happens.
When you embrace a place and all its perfect imperfections, it will then show you what makes it special.
Then without even trying, you just might find yourself having the time of your life driving all alone on an unfamiliar highway in a downpour completely unsure if you’re heading in the right direction… and completely not caring.