The Magic of Ordinary Days

Ririe Reservoir | Ririe, ID

When I first moved out to Idaho, I had this sense of adventure — the kind you find anytime something new is on the horizon. If I wasn't on the side of a mountain on a trail every weekend, I wasn't living. It was almost as if I was proving to myself, and to the audience known as the internet, that the move I made was the right one. Living her best life was my mantra. And it was fun.

Lately, though, I've been savoring the magic of ordinary days. The quiet Sunday afternoons with the birds chirping. The slow first cup of coffee on my front porch. Settling into the house I built and deciding on things like what art to hang on the walls and what color the curtains should be. Finding a rhythm for groceries and errands. Priding myself when I can get from A to B without using my GPS. Noticing the local deer population come through year over year — the fawns of last year are now the little bucks of this year.

There's something to be said for settling into a place. Turning the house you built into a home you love. Slowly building community.

The adventure and exploring are still there — I went for a little wander last night. But that great urge to prove Idaho is right for me is gone. I've been here two years now, and it's just part of me.