NEW MEXICO: IT'S A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP
I had the honor of growing up in Southeastern New Mexico, and I know that living here has had an incredible impact on who I am. I will never be able to repay my sweet little town for teaching me community in adversity, to say “yes ma’am” and “yes sir”, and giving me the confidence to be myself. However, my feelings for New Mexico did not start out as love, but rather hate. Honestly, I am still a bit finicky when it come to my feelings for New Mexico. He has many mood swings, I am not willing to commit, it’s a whole thing.
When I was about ten we moved from the beauty that is Pennsylvania, to New Mexico. Beautiful trees, beautiful fall leaves, and snow, to dirt, dirt, tumbleweeds, and more dirt. I was positive we were down grading, and to say I was displeased was an understatement. However, I accepted my fate, and allowed my father to move us to New Mexico (What a kind daughter I am! He really should be more grateful). As I tried to ignore how much I despised New Mexico, every summer I was reminded of how deprived I was on our annual trip to Utah. My little family are the only members of our extended family that do not live in the state of Utah, so each summer we do the annual Utah Loop. Visiting the beautiful red rocks of St. George, and breathtaking mountains of Springville, made coming back to dirt all that much harder. My best friends and I would count down the days until we were able to escape the Land of Entrapment.
I was hit with a major surprise after my first few weeks of BYU. I missed New Mexico. How was that even possible? I am sure being away from my family was part of it, but I also realized that I missed the beauty of New Mexico. I missed the dry desert air, the forever blue sky, even tumbleweeds! Living in New Mexico has taught me that beauty can be found in all things. Even in the driest desert I ever did see. Just as in trials that come in life, if we are willing to look for the blessings and the little moments of joy, they are always there. This knowledge has been such a great tool to me in my times of trial, and something I need to utilize more. So, to thank my wonderful state for this invaluable lesson, I am going to name off some of my favorite things about New Mexico. However, since my blog is titled Negative (N)ellie, I think some of the things I dislike must also be stated 😉.
LIKES
The smell of rain in the desert is like none other. I think the ground is showing its gratitude for the moisture, by giving us that incredible smell.
There is nothing prettier than the New Mexico sky. Beautiful sunsets, forever going blue, unobstructed view of the stars. Doesn't get any better that that!
I am thankful for my small town helping me to develop my love of sports. Friday Night Lights, baby!
The sense of community. I have never seen a town that pulls together and supports its members so well in the face of adversity.
Green Chile. Need I say more? Really, just the food in general.
There is so much history, and so many diverse cultures. Each corner of the state is completely unique.
DISLIKES
The legendary New Mexico wind. FYI, the wind blown look is not a good look.
The heat. Driving with the iron that is your steering well is a real test of strength.
Not a whole lot of entertainment options. Movie theatre with the stained screen, or drive-thru. Your choice 😉
No snow. We have a Beige Christmas, not a White Christmas.
Very little cloud cover. My pasty skin hangs out inside most of the summer. It's either that or be the person who constantly reeks of sunscreen.
Look at that! The likes hedge out the dislikes. Just barely, but I’m going to count it. I can never repay my little town for helping me become who I am today. If you are looking for a fun vacation spot, I’m going to have to recommend the beach or an amusement park. However, if you are looking for a laid back, relaxing trip, or a wonderful place to raise your children, the Land of Enchantment is where it is at.