Dear LA,

My heart races when I think of leaving you. 

You make me think of burnout tees with tiger faces and rock bands printed on them,
Of familiar faces trying to go unnoticed
Of California softly coming in the open French doors, sinking into my skin.
Oh, you made me feel like there was helium in my heart.

You make me think of charging again and again into battle with the ocean and being rolled back out each time.
I think that counts as a loss,
But it felt like a win.
Ocean-one, Bee Bailey-one.
I feel fine.

You make me think of Saints and Angels.
They live quiet holy lives.
They build homes for strangers.
They build the kingdom for strangers.
And the strangers don’t stay strange for long.
Come into my heart.

Yep, that summer breeze makes me feel fine.

I’ll be seeing you,
ABEJA