That makes the story more amazing. You had the inner fortitude to say "The heck with it, I am staying here"
Good for you. I find myself saying "One day, I will leave Joisey"
Do me a favor. Tomorrow, go to an outdoor cafe, order yourself a nice cheeseburger and a brew, put your feet up, and bask in the weather and appreciate your decision instead of just being used to it. Let me know how awesome that feeling is. Perhaps it will inspire me to get off my butt, and get out of here.
Your thinking is right on. I go on and on every day just enjoying my life here and once in awhile, actually quite often I stop and look around and say, thank you Lord for bringing me to this island paradise. In my 42 years here on Maui I have never once been sorry for moving here.