Paradise lost and found Published Oct. 21, 2008 By Capt. Tyler Moore 27th Special Operations Equal Opportunity director CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- I recently completed formal equal opportunity training at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. Patrick is located in the "Space Coast" of East Central Florida, nine miles south of Cape Canaveral, with coastal towns such as Cocoa Beach, Indiatlantic and Melbourne nearby. My training lasted 11 weeks and for the first quarter of it my family accompanied me. We had a great time. Like typical tourist families, we made several trips to Orlando and other "must visit" tourist destinations. However, the remaining seven weeks were a different story. Sure, I had the weather, the surf, numerous golf courses, the Atlantic Ocean sunrise and the Indian River all within eyesight and a five-minute walk, but it still didn't feel right. I was not happy, and my unhappiness taught me a valuable lesson. It was a lesson that was emphasized when my family returned to Clovis while I remained in the Space Coast. Our adventures, travels and experiences in life are like a glass only half full when you can't share them with the people you care for and love. What I missed most during that time, and what really made me happy, was being with my family in Clovis and the things we do in town. So what does Clovis have? It has straight, open roads with little traffic, which is great for motorcycle riding. Clovis has an annual carnival and rodeo as well as several kid-friendly parks. Clovis has a municipal golf course with player-friendly links and forgiving greens. Clovis has a friendly, diverse community (especially within the churches) with residents who truly appreciate and support the service members at Cannon. Finally, Clovis and the surrounding area has a 360-degree, unlimited view of the countryside and farmlands. As for my home and neighborhood, we have a backyard where I spend evenings and weekends playing baseball, football and soccer with my sons. There's also a 2.3-mile trek around the Chaparral Golf Course, which is great for walkers and runners. My trip to the Space Coast reinforced my beliefs about what is really important. I didn't belong there; I belong in Clovis. The residents of the Space Coast can have their condos, beaches and restaurants. Given a choice of being in Clovis with my family or being in the Space Coast without them, I would choose my family and Clovis any day of the week