When I left home I said bye to my room, to the backyard, and to my dogs that I've had since I was 10... One of them, Daisy, wasn't in the best of health. In the back of my mind I thought maybe I should just squeeze her a bit harder and hug her for a few seconds longer, just in case... I didn't think I really wouldn't see her again. A few months ago my family decided to put Daisy to sleep. She was in a lot of pain and they decided it would be best for her. Yesterday, my mom called and told me that my second dog Minnie passed. Being so far away from home, I can't comprehend that they are both gone. I don't think it will hit me until I come home one day and wont see them standing there side by side, behind the glass doors wagging their tails and smiling. Missing them has evoked a chain of memories that I miss about home...
(As my sisters and I grew up, we all had different schedules and there seemed to be less and less family time. When we all slept at the house though, sometimes I'd wake up in the morning and crawl into my twin sister's bed. Slowly but surely the rest of the family joined and we would all sit together, in bed, talking... Those are the moments I remember)
(Coffee Bean doesn't just serve coffee. For me it served as the local place where my girlfriends and I would meet and spend 3 hours talking. We laughed hysterically, sometimes we cried, and once an engagement was even announced. It also became me and my dads quality time hang out spot on Sunday mornings. He would bring the paper, I would bring a magazine, and we would end up getting in some heavy discussion leaving all reading materials unread. But those are the moments I remember)
(From Santa Monica to the tip of Malibu and even once all the way up to Oxnard... driving along the Pacific Coast Highway was like therapy for me. I miss the scent of the Pacific in the air, the sound of the seagulls, the 5:00 sun in my eyes. Anytime I had to take the 405, I would cut across to PCH since I was going to be in traffic anyways, and the view is that much better along the shore. There really isn't anything like Sunny California)
(As much as I love the beaches in Tel Aviv, there's nothing like lounging by the pool in the privacy of your own backyard. Whether I was in the mood for some quiet relaxation or music and a cocktail, I had the choice and it was right downstairs. In Israel, the beach and relaxation just don't really go together.)
(It wasn't a fancy big bath or anything, but it was a bath... There was separation from the floor and where the water went. If you've ever showered in a typical shower in Israel, you probably know what I mean. I could add bubbles, music, candles, close my eyes and stay there for over an hour until my fingers and toes were completely wrinkled. I'm craving a bubble bath right now)
(I left behind the coziest bed in the world. Every morning I would wake up to the sun in my face, a slight breeze from the window, the reflection of pool water on my ceiling, and Peace and Quiet. Maaaaaybe to the sound of the Gardner mowing the lawn, but so immersed in my pillow top mattress beneath my feather down comforter, even that wouldn't matter.
There are some things in life that are irreplaceable. Embrace them while you can.
To Minnie and Daisy. You two were the best dogs in the world. I'm so sorry I wasn't there to say goodbye. I'll miss you and remember you forever. Thank you for the memories little ones <3
Oriahn
