It’s almost four years now, since we moved from the south San Francisco Bay Area in California, to Ohio. It’s been a challenge, mostly emotionally, but I think well worth it. Some observations on the differences are noted below.
The biggest for me: WEATHER. While the Bay Area climate is quite mellow, a Mediterranean climate, here in Ohio the weather constantly changes. In the Bay Area I could garden almost all year. I could go for pleasant walks most of the year. I suppose in Ohio I can go for pleasant walks in the winter, but it’s more difficult with multiple layers of clothes, and sometimes ice.
BEARDS: A lot more men wear beards here.
CLOUDS: In Ohio, the clouds are amazing, almost every time they appear, which is often. Absolutely stunning at times.
CHIGGERS: In the Bay Area, I didn’t have to worry about almost-invisible chiggers (or maybe they are no-see-ums). I dread going out the backyard, where they seem very happy to congregate, in warmer weather. I have numerous methods to deal with them, including bug spray with peppermint, and showering immediately after a stint in the garden. Otherwise, it’s an itchy prospect.
CHILI: Chili, at least Cincinnati chili, is different than in California. The meat is much more finely ground, and beans, if any, are a topping. It is served on top of spaghetti, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, diced onions, and/or kidney beans, and the spices, besides chili powder, can include cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and even unsweetened chocolate.
CICADAS: Now these are midwest bugs I can deal with. You can see them, they don’t bite or cause an itch, and generally leave you alone. They appear in May and wind down in mid-June. Yes, they buzz all day, but I don’t mind it.
COST OF LIVING: Much cheaper in Ohio. I estimate that the house we have now would cost ten times as much in our old neighborhood.
FREEWAY ON-RAMPS: In California, a simple on-ramp (not merging into an off ramp) is marked at the left with dashed lines, which *disappear* at about the point when the combined width of the on-ramp and the lane to the left is about a lane-and-a-half wide. In Ohio, the dashed lines for simple on-ramps just continue until they contact the right edge of the road.
FRIENDLINESS / HELPFULNESS: People seem friendlier than in the Bay Area. It could be because we’re in a less densely populated place. Once (but this is nearby Kentucky), we were driving home at night and pulled over because I couldn’t find my cell phone. Almost immediately, a truck stopped behind us, and two men came up and asked if we needed help. I realize that something far less pleasant could have happened, but it was an encouraging experience.
FENCES: In our old Bay Area neighborhood, just about everyone had a six-foot tall fence around their back yard, some even taller. In our current neighborhood, we have a six-foot fence in the back, but there are only one or two other families around, one of which I know to be California transplants like us, who have something similar. Most people have no fencing, invisible dog fencing, what’s called a Kentucky board fence, or a split rail fence.
HOT DOGS: Hot dogs are called “coneys”.
“UC”: Does not mean “University of California,” but “University of Cincinnati”.
Slight? Momentary?
“For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, NRSVCE)
Until a few years ago (and I’m 70 as I write this), whenever I heard or read this Bible verse, I thought, “Slight? Momentary? It doesn’t feel that way.” My own hardest personal cross might be chronic mild depression (dysthymia). It has never felt “momentary”. It is probably “slight” compared to major depression. But I also think of many who carry what look like quite heavy crosses: chronic physical problems, financial struggles, family breakdown, and emotional or mental health issues. They never looked “slight” or “momentary” to me.
Here is another translation of the verses. I am adding this and the next one just to give different shades of meaning, hopefully helping all to understand the verses. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, NIV)
And again: “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, NLT)
This immediately preceding translation might give the clearest or simplest meaning for us. And the two verses actually explain themselves, if we think about it.
It’s all about perspective, eternal perspective, that is. When I began to focus on eternity, which after all, is a lot longer than an earthly life, the quote started to make a lot of sense. Yes, I or others may be suffering now, but COMPARED TO the rewards, joy, and glory of eternity, what we’re going through is NOTHING. Yes, it doesn’t feel good if we focus on the current suffering, but if we focus on what awaits people of faith in heaven, it’s incomparable!
This is not to dismiss the very real pain that all of us go through, but to give hope that it won’t last forever. And, we probably should try to alleviate others’ suffering, if not our own. But I’ve found it very helpful to forget myself and focus on the glory to come, while always working to improve what can be improved in my little area of the world.
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