Home At Last

It just occurred to me the other night that we arrived back in Denver exactly five years to the day I initially moved away.  FIVE YEARS!  It doesn't seem possible.  I still remember the weeks and days leading up to that move like they were yesterday.  It was to be the beginning of an entirely new life, which was terrifying and exciting all at the same time.  I was a new grad and newly in love, making me idealistic in a way that only such an all-encompassing newbie can be.  Looking back, I should have had an inkling Las Vegas probably wasn't the best place to begin a career in nursing, or a new relationship.  The fast-paced, instant-gratification, check-your-common-sense-at-the-door culture that abounds there doesn't do much to foster either.  But I was naive and determined, so I dove right in and gave it my best shot.  Those early days were rough, both for our relationship and my career, but I (and we) survived.  Now, after years of living like a gypsy, I've returned to the city I love, the place where my adulthood began, and life has come back full circle.  Well, sort of.

As excited as I am to be back, things just aren't the same.  This isn't exactly the same city I left, and I'm certainly not exactly the same person I was so many years ago.  Favorite restaurants have closed, with new ones springing up in their place.  My old nursing school abandoned for a new campus east of the city (tear!); its windows boarded, the dilapidated, deserted buildings just waiting to be demolished.  There have been marriages and divorces.  Babies have been born.  Houses have been bought and sold.  Careers have blossomed.  Friendships have evolved and sometimes faded, with new ones to take their place.

And me, well... I'm no longer a scared new grad, but a somewhat seasoned nurse.  I've become tougher (and possibly more jaded) than I ever thought possible.  I'm no longer a single twenty-something, playing the dating game, either.  Now I'm a thirty-something married lady, with a fur-baby in tow.  I'm definitely older, possibly a little wiser (I hope), and most certainly more settled in myself and my life.

But just because this isn't the same Denver, and I'm not the same girl who left this city so many years ago, doesn't mean that I'm not excited to be back.  Because, let's face it, I'm ecstatic.  I'm happy to be back in a real city, where everything is so alive.  I'm happy to be back in a place that boasts such an amazing restaurant and bar scene.  I can't help but smile every time I catch a glimpse of the mountains, and am  downright euphoric with the knowledge that all of my favorite outdoor activities are a short car-ride away.  I love the trees.  I love the green.  I love being able to catch up with all of my friends, old and new.  It's true that this is not entirely the same city I left, but Denver is home to me, and I couldn't be happier to be back.