Going Back to Cali, Cali

The next time I post, I will be in Los Angeles again. I'm going for a 10-day visit, at the end of which I'm participating in a 3-day writer's conference and speaking on a panel about Writing About Loss. Before I leave, I'm being interviewed on HuffingtonPost Live (tomorrow, Thursday, March 19 at 4:00pm ET). Needless to say, it's a very busy time, and I'm more than a little stressed.

I'm excited to go back to Los Angeles, but also nervous. When I tell people this, they don't understand why. I'm not sure I totally understand either. I did live there for 19 years. But there's something about going back to a place you've left.

Part of me is nervous that once I'm there, I'll regret having left, like I'll be walking (driving) around feeling homesick the whole time.

Another part of me is anxious about being asked the same questions over and over again: "How's it going in NY? How do you like it? Are you glad you left? Are you coming back?"

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that just the thought of being in such a big city, dealing with that traffic, makes my stomach tighten a little. I've basically been living in the woods for the past eight months -- in a quiet, zero traffic, distraction-free, practically people-free zone. I've been in "writing mode," which is a lot different than "meet and greet and speak publicly mode." Yes, I've been to NYC periodically, but I stay with family in Brooklyn and tend to keep my activities local.

Another source of nerves (and emotions) is that being in Los Angeles will remind me of Kaz in a way that I haven't experienced in a while. Living in NY, where Kaz and I never visited together and therefore shared no memories of, has been a sort of respite from all the emotional triggers that come with familiar sites in a shared geographical location. I know I will be alright, but it's the not knowing where and when I will encounter these triggers that makes my nervous.

Finally, my heart aches at leaving Ruby behind (it was too complicated and expensive to bring her). I've never been away from her for this long, and am already feeling the longing. She'll be staying with family and going to doggie daycare during the day, so we'll both be busy. But it will be strange to be apart. Our days upstate are, if nothing else, an exercise in routine. Everything happens around the same time every day. We're nearly always together, and she is nearly always off leash, running free.

All that said, I am looking forward to the trip, to seeing all my friends, feeling heat, going to the beach, meeting many other talented writers, getting as much done as possible, visiting the mountain where I released Kaz's ashes and more.

A lot has happened since I left Los Angeles. Maybe going back will remind me of how far I've come. Maybe it will remind me why I left.

Ironically, this will be my first time visiting Los Angeles. I will miss upstate NY, but I'll be back soon.

Looking forward to sharing the journey with you, as always. xo