Coming home

I've lived in Tucson for about 7 years now,
And I feel that Tucson is home.

When I first moved here,
It was difficult.
Every time I wanted to go to a certain store,
I saw a road map in my head

I knew exactly how to get there
In Bakersfield.

When I wanted a certain book,
I knew exactly which bookcase held it
In Bakersfield.

Bakersfield restaurants,
Bakersfield friends,
Bakersfield memories ruled my mind,

Bakersfield was home,
And Tucson was uncharted territory.

As the years passed,
I found something strange happening.

Whenever I was in Bakersfield,
My road map was for Tucson,

But whenever I came home to Tucson,
My road map was for Bakersfield.

Bakersfield was home,
But so was Tucson.

The last time I came to Bakersfield
I was surprised.

I had no road map!
I couldn't remember how to get to favorite places,
And needed to stop and think about where things were.

Everything was changing around me.
Bakersfield was changing
And so was I.

Today, I have come to realize
That Bakersfield is no longer home.

Bakersfield is where I'm from,
And Tucson is home.

And I'm glad.
Not that I left Bakersfield,
But that I found Tucson.

There is much that I love in Bakersfield--
Friends, family, memories--
But Tucson is home.