I just realized the other day that I have been living in my current city for five years now. FIVE YEARS. It's the longest I've lived anywhere since I moved out of my parent's house, so it's a bit of a milestone. Steve and I have even moved seven times in the ten years we've been married. I never was one to settle down, and I was lucky enough to marry someone who has a bit of that nomadic thing going on too. But then we had kids. And he got a job. And so we've lived here for FIVE YEARS! And where we live is far than ideal in our minds.
But over the last couple of years, I've started not minding as much. Maybe part of it has to do with finally getting into the groove of parenting (it only took me six years), or maybe because we've found a way to make this place work for us, but my money is on all the great friends I've made here in the last five years. I think I have more amazing friends, both old and new, in my life now than ever before.
I thought about this shift in my attitude the other day when I was listening to my iPod and one of my favorite songs, "One Place" by Everything But The Girl (who rock, if you don't already know), came on. It's a cheesy YouTube video, but the song is fantastic.
I have always loved this song because it reminds me of walking through the neighborhood I grew up in, The Avenues of Salt Lake City, which I did often. I love the sound of people living their lives as you walk by and you get little audible glimpses of it through the open windows. The Avenues truly were an idyllic place to grow up, full of tree lined streets, historic homes, and liberal people. I loved it there, and it almost killed me to leave. I had a big chip on my shoulder about it for a couple of years, but now it doesn't even feel like home to me. Now, when I listen to this song, I have amazing memories of my time there, the home of my youth, but now I finally feel like "I could live like anybody else, in one place." I do feel happy and fulfilled. I feel happy to be home, and happy that home is where I am.
But over the last couple of years, I've started not minding as much. Maybe part of it has to do with finally getting into the groove of parenting (it only took me six years), or maybe because we've found a way to make this place work for us, but my money is on all the great friends I've made here in the last five years. I think I have more amazing friends, both old and new, in my life now than ever before.
I thought about this shift in my attitude the other day when I was listening to my iPod and one of my favorite songs, "One Place" by Everything But The Girl (who rock, if you don't already know), came on. It's a cheesy YouTube video, but the song is fantastic.
I have always loved this song because it reminds me of walking through the neighborhood I grew up in, The Avenues of Salt Lake City, which I did often. I love the sound of people living their lives as you walk by and you get little audible glimpses of it through the open windows. The Avenues truly were an idyllic place to grow up, full of tree lined streets, historic homes, and liberal people. I loved it there, and it almost killed me to leave. I had a big chip on my shoulder about it for a couple of years, but now it doesn't even feel like home to me. Now, when I listen to this song, I have amazing memories of my time there, the home of my youth, but now I finally feel like "I could live like anybody else, in one place." I do feel happy and fulfilled. I feel happy to be home, and happy that home is where I am.
1 comments:
we are lucky to have you here! friends are what it's all about. well family, too, i guess...
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