Coming from the mountains and settling down by the bay

I grew up in Salida, Colorado. Unlike many cities, my town does not have specific names for the neighborhoods in it. I lived in a house right off of Highway 50. You could say the people in my neighborhood were between low class and middle class citizens. There were never shootings or robberies. It was mostly quiet, unless the people next door were having a party. My town, as a whole there is not much to do so you can imagine what my neighborhood was like, boring. A lot of the students I attended high school with turned to drugs and alcohol to occupied their time, I wasn’t interested. After graduating high school I found myself looking into moving to San Francisco, talk about a major life changing experience. I currently live in the Visitation Valley, where I realize everyday is a gift of life that no one can promise. I’ve heard many gunshots and so far I have attended one funeral for a dear friend that was gunned down behind my house. I have learned that no bullet has a name so I am careful of where I am all the time. There is such a separation with Sunnydale, Third Street, and I am sure more, that I see people that are constantly watching their backs. Do you see the significance difference in my neighborhoods? I am who I am despite the neighborhood I live in because I can lead an example that life can be better if you make it. All it takes is a step of faith and believe in yourself that you can do your best. It’s the people that make the neighborhood the way it is, so if the people can turn a neighborhood into a war zone, they can also turn it into a safety zone.