What I’ll Miss About Phoenix & Arizona

In less than two weeks we will leave Phoenix for Chicago. I plan to soak up every last minute in the city that has treated us well. I know we’ll be back to visit — my family is here and so is our townhouse — but I’ve been thinking about the things I will miss about my hometown while we’re away.

I’ll miss my family and friends, of course.

I’ll miss the period from late November until March or April when the weather is simply perfect.

I’ll miss the purple, dark blue, gold, orange, pink and red sunsets.

I’ll miss the clarity after a rainstorm washes away the dust.

I’ll miss the excitement when a dust storm warning blows up our phones and we watch it roll in, blanketing us in darkness.

I’ll miss being four hours from the nearest beach and six or seven hours from Southern California or Las Vegas.

I’ll miss being within two or three hours of amazing camping spots.

I’ll miss being a few miles from mountains to hike in the middle of the city.

I’ll miss knowing where everything is.

I’ll miss my favorite local restaurants.

I’ll miss running on Murphy’s Bridle Path and picking which house I’d love to buy someday.

I’ll miss the palm trees. Especially seeing their silhouettes during sunsets.

I’ll miss my studio, Sutra Midtown, where I first fell in love with yoga. I’ll miss the yoga community I’ve been a part of here.

I’ll miss being able to take outdoor yoga classes at the Clarendon, Hotel Palomar and Biltmore Fashion Park, among other places.

I’ll miss the Grand Canyon. It’s one of my favorite places.

I’ll miss the view of the mountains from my office building’s windows.

I’ll miss going to as many spring training games as I can during March.

I’ll miss my local sports teams.

I’ll miss local races like the Phoenix Marathon and Pat’s Run.

I’ll miss being a six-hour nonstop flight from Hawaii.

I’ll miss downtown Phoenix and seeing it evolve.

I’ll miss the rare smell and feel of rain, and the clouds that are left behind.

I’ll miss my centrally located neighborhood, which has a nice running path and lots of local restaurants and constantly has redevelopment projects popping up.

I’ll miss being home when my good friends who have moved away come to visit.

I’ll miss living in the townhouse we have called home for the past few years.

I’ll miss wandering around the Phoenix Botanical Garden, especially during the luminaria days. We even got engaged there.

I’ll miss going to the Phoenix Zoo with Graham.

Trust me, I could go on.