“Quality of life” is a phrase that gets bandied about quite a bit and a lot of different contexts. I first heard the term in a “right to die” context – the phrase referred to the argument against heroic measures to keep someone alive, even as all their biological systems are failing. It’s a reasonable question – what is the quality of life for someone who is semi-conscious, in constant pain?
But now I hear “quality of life” in situations quite a ways down the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs. I’m reaching an age where a lot of my friends are retiring, or have retired. They refer to the quality of the lives they lead, away from the pressures of the day job, or fighting traffic. While these are annoyances, they are less dramatic than having your life’s quality defined by respite from pain or real human suffering.
I also have some friends and family who have chosen to move out of California, citing quality of life gains pertaining to less congestion, work pressures, cost of living and so forth. I respect their viewpoint and I respect it, but despite a certain amount of struggle with California’s cost of living, I’m not buying the congestion argument. I just got back from a week in the midwest and did indeed see some wide-open spaces. But I have seen spaces just as wide open in California.
There’s a wide spectrum of music to enjoy in California, too. In a typical month, I will see live bands playing several types of music, all within a 30 mile radius of my home- I really like that!
People have claimed that folks are nicer in the south or the Midwest. Balderdash, I say. I have learned some things in my travel. One is, people are usually nice – anywhere. There are differences in pace – compare New York to Hawaii. Secondly, most people naturally make an effort to help visitors. They want to make a good impression, so they’re helpful and friendly. Not all the time, but definitely most of the time. Because of this, it’s easy to assume folks anywhere but home are nicer, but that’s an illusion.
As long as I can afford to do so, I intend to remain in California. When I retire, I won’t have to face traffic if I don’t want to. I can venture to anyplace I like to get away from population density. When I want the company of friends and the comforts of home, I can enjoy those too. But if I ever do move away from California, it’ll have to be some place where diversity is the norm. I was watching the folks lining the Main Street of Martinez during the 4th of July parade, and even in this small town, it was a spectrum of nationalities, ethnicities and lifestyles. This is what makes me feel good about my quality of life!
