Heather Nickens is a conservative Christian who moved from California to Texas in 2022. Nickens had grown tired of California's high cost of living and pandemic response. But after getting to Texas, she realized she missed California's beautiful weather and sunny beaches.

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You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Advertisement This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Heather Nickens, a 52-year-old radiation therapist who moved from Orange County, California, to Dallas in 2022 after growing frustrated by California's pandemic restrictions and high cost of living. But Nickens only stayed in Texas for two years before returning to California because she missed the weather and access to nature.

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The following has been edited for length and clarity. I'm a native Californian, raised here my entire life, minus seven years I spent in Houston as a child. I moved from the Inland Empire to Orange County in 2016 after my daughter g.