I miss Reno!

I miss Reno today, I was born and raised there. I don't miss it most of the time, but I've noticed, about 4 times a year, I get very homesick. Even though Reno is in Nevada and one would think it's similar to Vegas, it's not, not at all. The only thing Reno and Vegas have in common is casinos; Reno's the mountains, Vegas is the desert. Reno is homespun, Vegas is world-wide. Reno is smaller, Vegas is huge! Reno has 4 seasons, Vegas has about 2, maybe three. Reno is surrounded by everything within a 4 hour drive; Lake Tahoe, Truckee, The Bay Area, the Sierra Nevadas, Pyramid Lake, the wilderness, the mountains, everything....Vegas is in the middle of absolutely no where, a complete and total desert, and the closest city is Bishop, California, roughly 3 hours a way. Beyond that is LA. Reno is redneck and conservative, Vegas is much more Liberal. Cowboys are rare in this town (Vegas), and yet not thought twice of in Reno. Reno is full of hills and mountains, Vegas is pretty flat. Reno has lots of trees, Vegas has them too, and we have palm trees here (Vegas), so that's nice. I don't know of anywehre else in the world where you'll find palm trees and pine trees side by side, so that's great! I like Vegas, I really do. And my hometown of Reno is growing by the day, it's becoming very cosmopolitan, but still, nothing compared to Vegas in that respect. There's a lot I truly love about Vegas; it's big, it's metroplian, it's everything in the world at my fingertips, literally! Its food is fabulous, its culture enormous! All walks of life live here! And I know that the Reno today is not the Reno I grew up with, and there's lots I don't miss about it. It really is small and limiting in some ways. But, still, it's my hometown and I love it. The longer I'm away from it, the more I love and respect it. And today, if I had the chance, I would be on a flight home to Reno, just to see it. I'd go home to Spanish Springs and drive around McCarran Blvd, I'd head out towards Galina Creek and take a drive through the mountains! I'd drive by all of my old houses and old schools. I'm in the mood to reminice. I love Reno, and I love Vegas, both are inherently a part of me, but Reno is where my roots are...Vegas is where I've developed my wings! And today, I'm grounded in my roots, and I love that! I wouldn't move back there or live there again, but it sure would be nice to go back! So, here's to Reno, and all of our hometowns! Thanks mom and grama for raising me in a such a great place in such a great way! And thank you Lord for roots and wings! And everything, else, too! Especially my patience with my loved ones!

In Light N' Love,
-Sarah Liz :)