(family)TREEs

It’s raining. The type of rain that you want to sit in silence with, fall asleep to.  I am enjoying every second of this cleansing rain. Instead of wine tonight I just guzzled some soothing and slightly metallic tasting Theraflu. I AM NOT GOING TO GET SICK. Not again.

Regardless of how I am feeling tonight, I want to talk about yesterday. The day when I planned on writing this first real entry.  I want to talk living with my parents and how I have begun to firmly realize just how important they are to me.

I came to this realization when I went for a run (the first in a few months) and discovered that Revolver is an amazing album to listen to while running.  I usually choose something more along the beat of J Dilla or The Black Keys, but for some reason, I needed some Beatles.  And this usually happens about once a month, needing to divulge some of the Beatles.  Their music comforts me.  Kind of like watching an old episode of the Simpsons, I grew up on it.

Listen to this track, I know you have heard it before, but try it with headphones, and tell me that you don’t just want to sit on top of a mountain.

[ This could also be my theme song ]

And that is what I did, I ran to the top of the nearest mountain, which happened to be Mount Diablo, yes, that’s right, Mount Devil. Ironically, my parents’ old house in Castle Rock used to have a view of Devil’s Head Mountain.  I found a great grassy trail amidst a neighborhood street.

The trees in east bay are amazing.  Now I am not speaking of the redwoods (big ones) that I tend to hug on, but these beauties:

So I stopped the jog I had going and began to take in my surroundings.  It was magnificent, this place I live in is reminiscent of places I have been in Western Europe.  Like the backcountry of Wiliton, England, my mother’s birthplace.  Rolling hills draped in a hazy fog with the sun seeping through.  Oh how I do love my mother, I told myself.

Quite recently I learned that two of my friends had un-expectantly lost their mothers in the last months.  What an utterly horrible occurrence for someone at this age, or any age for that matter, to lose a parent.  And if you have spoken with me since I have been back living with parents, you know how much I loathe it.  But I was reminded of how precious life is and how special it is that I have both of my parents alive, and still married to each other.

And I won’t begin to explain how amazing mine and my sister’s relationship has blossomed since I left. She’s a pretty great kid, I mean, young lady.

Revolver was over I wanted some mellow music,  the Avett Bros and here is a tune I thought was appropriate:

Looking at these trees, I mulled over why it is that trees intrigue me so much?  I always want to photograph them, paint them, sketch them and sit under them.  Which made me think about family trees, the importance of family, the reason I decided to move in with my parents in the first place.  For support, like a strong rooted tree, I would like to believe that I have a fairly strong rooted family.  I am also now living very near my aunt, who lives in the next town over.  It is wonderful, to live near a family member… this is a new concept.   We (the Franz’s) have always surrounded ourselves with friends, and made them our family since most of ours had usually been across the country and across the big pond.

After going through a relationship break up and a job that was killing my spirit, I needed support and a change of place. All of this with the intention to find out what it was I really wanted to do with my life.

Of course I started this new life near San Francisco mildy depressed and stuck in my room.  Avoiding my parents like the 15 year old I once was… only my hair was not blue and I was listening to Bon Iver instead of the Decendents. My parents were well aware of my actions and finally my dad came to me and said “Listen, don’t you think it’s time to start doing something with that talent of yours?” I replied,  “What? Sleeping in?”

He reminded me that as much as I have a LoveHate relationship with this place, I should take advantage of the fact that these Suburban East Bay Californians have money to burn on portraits. He was oh so right. I needed to stop hating on the fact that all these people had so much money, and start loving on it.  As much as I get agitated by the constant reminders of…did you get your website finished? Business cards made? Did you go to all the Starbucks’ and post a flyer yet? I also really appreciate the shove they give me, because I know I need it, and it is out of love and they want to see me succeed.

I try to forget the fact that my time in the bathroom can be interrupted at any moment and that I will be woken up for sleeping in too late. I try to remember that the wake up call usually comes with a steaming cup of coffee and the fridge is always full.

They are my biggest fans, and we are all going through a rough change and all in a new place. They drive me insane, but I love them for it, it keeps my mundane life that much more interesting. We are planting a new strong rooted tree, here, together.

If you can, please call your mom today and tell her that you love her.

Advertisement