Last week I got to spend some time in Washington, DC for a work conference. It was the first time I had been back since I moved back to the Bay Area three years ago. Leading up to the trip, I wasn't particularly excited. The time I had spent in DC had been rough for me emotionally. Curtis and I were figuring out how to be in a long distance relationship. I was struggling to find friends I could trust and lean on. My dream job was not quite the dream I thought it would be. I missed everything about being in San Francisco. Recalling all th ese feelings , I wasn't exactly jumping for joy to return to DC. But as our cab pulled into the city from National Airport, my heart felt unexpectedly full . The blue sky sweeping over the proud monuments, the bustling activity of bicyclists and joggers , the colorful array of row houses . Turns out DC is quite beautiful without the baggage. I was way beyond bitterness , or even ambivalence. I was filled instead with grat...