Dearest Seattle,

It’s not you it’s me.  Ok, it’s not you, it’s us.  You know how much we love you.  How much we dreamed of Mr. Forager finally getting a contract here, of me finally living in a city where there was art overload.  There is so much about you that’s perfect.  You don’t believe me? OK, here’s a list–

Stunning views in every direction.  We never cease to be amazed when the mountains “come out” ( ie, the clouds break enough to see the distant Olympic Mountains, Cascade Range & Mt. Rainier ).  Few cities can boast such natural beauty.

Overabundance of delicious food choices.  Coming from tiny Joshua Tree, CA, it felt like we went from famine to feast.  Whatever our stomachs were desiring, you could deliver– sushi, Thai, Vietnamese, German, Mexican ( Senor Moose! ), and some of the freshest produce and seafood ever.

Diversity of humanity.  We love seeing different colors of skin every where.  Mr. Forager loves it when he meets a patient who has immigrated here from a far off place.  It makes us feel like a part of a much bigger world.

The art. Oh, the art!  It’s almost overwhelming, the amount of art happenings, museums, and galleries in the city.  Tonight, there are at least half a dozen different events going on and I want to go to all of them.  And the diversity of the work to be found is as varied as the people who live here.

You’re just a beautiful city.  Last night, we walked down to a little park near our apartment with a view looking back toward downtown.  The sun was shining brightly from the west but the city was backed by clouds.  And we were reminded of the elegance of your skyline and your architectural beauty.

If we were going to live forever in a city, you would be it.  When we came to you, we were overwhelmed with joy to be here, to be back in the Northwest after a long six months in the desert.  Before we knew it we had signed a twelve month lease and I started looking for a full time job.

But then something happened along the way.  As much as we adored you, something was off.  We felt uneasy among the noise and the crowds.  Our hearts longed for quiet and wilderness and a slowed pace.  We’re just not sure we’re cut out for urban life.  And we longed for adventure.  We really hadn’t planned to stop traveling so soon, circumstances came about that kind of pushed us in that direction, but then the tide seemed to turn in the other direction almost as quickly.  If we settled down, we knew we would miss the excitement, we would miss out on exploring all sorts of places we might never see otherwise.  So, dear Seattle, as much as we love you, we just can’t stay.  Please can we still be friends?  We so want to be.

Yours always,