If you want to know where your heart lies, look where your mind wanders. If that doesn’t help, try moving somewhere far away from home.

For me, it took relocating to a large beach metropolis for a while (seven days) to truly understand what I had left back home in the mountains.

Taking the initial step forward made me quickly realize that a step backward was a much wiser idea; a so-called progression in regression. I owe my gut instinct a big high-five for terminating my hiatus in only a week’s time. I can also thank my mind for wandering back to all the simple things I missed while being away from home.

Here’s a short list of stuff I will never take for granted, or at least when I do, I’ll know it’s time to leave again: Parks with vegetation. Free camping in parks with vegetation. Un-locked doors. Walks downtown to work and home within minutes. Random hellos on Main street. Spotting familiar faces. Experiencing sunsets much later than 8pm, and stars after dark.

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"I hope that America is awakening to the fact that bigger is not always better. Acquiring dollars never equals happiness, and friendships are much more important than paychecks. Short shorts are in, baggy pants are way out. Long surfboards are still rad, and depending on your whereabouts, a handshake still means a deal. One must regress to progress."

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Fresh water from the tap. Bug-less nights. The smell of pine trees. Backyards and empty campsites. Cheap fuel. Open roads. No rules. Cold air and cold snow. Rivers fast and wide with free-flow. Minimal traffic, even at five. Available parking...most of the time.

All the things I was yearning for were right in front of me. My soul was telling me to stay while my head turned and looked away. Don’t look away. Trust your gut and happiness will most likely follow.

I hope that America is awakening to the fact that bigger is not always better. Acquiring dollars never equals happiness, and friendships are much more important than paychecks. Short shorts are in, baggy pants are way out. Long surfboards are still rad, and depending on your whereabouts, a handshake still means a deal. One must regress to progress.

What’s important to you? I realized quickly that there’s no point to living in the most affluent nation in the world if I’m feeling stressed out and anxious all of the time.

The mountain towns, communities, and the people enriched by them are what brought me back home. I moved to a big city searching for success, only to discover my new job only paid half of the rent.

Bomb Snow Magazine is all about living out dreams in a place that keeps them alive rather than contained. I am asking you, our readers, to stay satisfied by living in a place that inspires you. Ask your heart these same questions, and hopefully, you’ll remind yourselves what truly matters. -BS

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