Hollywood, Beverly Hills, San Francisco. Golden stars, golden skin and Golden gates. All that is Gold in the Golden State.
I turn on the television and see the white sandy beaches with bronze bodies laid out in the glowing sunshine. Flat stomachs and bleached blonde hair wake up in beachfront condos. Their respective heads greet the sun with a series of yogic mantras and energizing gluten free, vegan protein shakes. Legs for days take long jogs along a mountain trail, before putting petal to the fiberglass of a hybrid vehicle. High tech heads commute to high tech jobs as their offspring are chauffeured to academies for the economically gifted.
What a glamorous facade. How greatly my reality differs from that picturesque lifestyle.
Blue eyes peel open in a run down 1970's suburban home. An overweight body struggles to roll out of bed without waking those that it has borne. The empty stomach settles for government subsidized eggs and milk. There is no time for running as small and aching legs shuffle out the door. The rumble of the engine confirms the gas guzzling polution of the pre millennial wagon. A disadvantaged woman hurries to an advantageous job. Two unplanned children are left with unemployed paternal nurturing.
I strive to better myself. I strive to provide for my children. I strive to make it to that golden place. That just untouchable Golden State.