Monday, September 22, 2008
MOVING OR NOT.....
Most of us make several moves during our married life. I have had six of them and have been where I am for 37-years. As a child my parents moved our family 5-times. There are pros and cons about so much moving but I found it to be very educational. People and places can teach great lessons.
As a kid I learned to make adjustments fast. Back in the 30’s and early 40’s we were in a city so school was in walking distance. Dad figured it was no big deal changing schools so my brother and I usually showed up, found the principle’s office and more or less said…. “Here we are.”
You can imagine the look on an “old-school” principle, with the prospects of some late arrivals and no identification but last Spring’s report card. She was a buxom redhead with piercing eyes that put me in mind of a queen mother. She assigned us hastily to a couple of rooms and dropped us off at the door with a quick introduction. After the first big stare-down from the rows of students the teacher walked toward me and tried to look happy I was there. That was the third grade and I was able to finish grade school before we moved to Missouri where I graduated from high school.
Moving is what you make it, more or less. I have had neighbors move next door that continually complained about the area and wished they could go back home. I have had neighbors who were as close as family. We shared hopes and fears and our children played together. Some of my old neighbors moved on and never kept in touch and at times I was the one to drop the ball.
I mentioned earlier that I have been here 37-years. It’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere. It is comforting to me now although we moved here to help take care of my dad who had cancer. By the time dad died we had grown roots and decided to stay. The landscape has changed over the years and we’ve made many changes. Our dead-end street was cut through to the highway and we have more traffic but nothing like city traffic. When I think of the years we’ve lived here it’s a wonder we haven’t had more changes in the neighborhood and in our little town.
Once upon a time I would have hated the life I now have. That’s a good thing about growing older, expectations change along with a lot of ideas that seem pretty silly in retrospect. When you think about it, God has a pretty good idea about ageing. We get to be adored and waited on when small and then stretch our wings to new beginnings. When we grow old we have learned that most things aren’t worth it and we find contentment is worth everything. I am thankful for the journey and the promise of our “last” move.
Essentially Esther
As a kid I learned to make adjustments fast. Back in the 30’s and early 40’s we were in a city so school was in walking distance. Dad figured it was no big deal changing schools so my brother and I usually showed up, found the principle’s office and more or less said…. “Here we are.”
You can imagine the look on an “old-school” principle, with the prospects of some late arrivals and no identification but last Spring’s report card. She was a buxom redhead with piercing eyes that put me in mind of a queen mother. She assigned us hastily to a couple of rooms and dropped us off at the door with a quick introduction. After the first big stare-down from the rows of students the teacher walked toward me and tried to look happy I was there. That was the third grade and I was able to finish grade school before we moved to Missouri where I graduated from high school.
Moving is what you make it, more or less. I have had neighbors move next door that continually complained about the area and wished they could go back home. I have had neighbors who were as close as family. We shared hopes and fears and our children played together. Some of my old neighbors moved on and never kept in touch and at times I was the one to drop the ball.
I mentioned earlier that I have been here 37-years. It’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere. It is comforting to me now although we moved here to help take care of my dad who had cancer. By the time dad died we had grown roots and decided to stay. The landscape has changed over the years and we’ve made many changes. Our dead-end street was cut through to the highway and we have more traffic but nothing like city traffic. When I think of the years we’ve lived here it’s a wonder we haven’t had more changes in the neighborhood and in our little town.
Once upon a time I would have hated the life I now have. That’s a good thing about growing older, expectations change along with a lot of ideas that seem pretty silly in retrospect. When you think about it, God has a pretty good idea about ageing. We get to be adored and waited on when small and then stretch our wings to new beginnings. When we grow old we have learned that most things aren’t worth it and we find contentment is worth everything. I am thankful for the journey and the promise of our “last” move.
Essentially Esther
