Nearly a month
Nearly a month has gone by since I blogged. May 10th it was.
A reader asked me, "where are you? I hope everything is ok!" in the comments section of the previous blog.
So much to say so much....
It is easy to see why people love living in the Pacific Northwest. Frankly, it is easy to see why people love living in the West. It is strikingly beautiful here. Even when we are not paying attention to life the beauty is overwhelming. In this midst of our own self we cannot help but notice a mountain, a sunset on the water, a waterfall, a creek full of salmon. These things are easy to spot the beauty in.
Even the delightfully warm but temperate summers and the not too cold and evergreen winters can be a serious invitation. Living in this region has stolen my heart at moments but sometime in the past year and a half or so I have had this lingering feeling that we either needed to get married or we needed to break it off. Meaning, we needed to see ourselves here for a long time or we needed to imagine anew.
There is a temptation in this world of ours to dream of the next "sexy" place. If I wrote here that we are moving to Hawaii or Alaksa or Thailand most people in my world would respond with, "wow that is amazing..." People would respect us, would be in awe of us, would be impressed. That's the world we live in: let me go looking for the most admirable adventure...
Instead let me write here that we are moving to Indiana: Indianapolis, Indiana to be exact.
This place, Indianapolis is lovely I am sure. There will be great spots. The deep woods of Indiana are part of her history I have a fondness for cornfields. But there will be no mountians. The waterfalls will be small. Bluegill are easy to fish but don't sing us an epic song like the salmon and the sunsets have a totally different ring to them when it isn't over the mighty pacific.
In the past couple of years I have learned something important from my students. I have learned about colonialization and the impact of that. I have learned about the buying and selling of culture. I could go somewhere exotic...but that is not who I am. I am going to go home. (To a place that was colonized by Europeans and all of the Native Persons were literally killed or sent on a death march to Kansas). I am going to a place that is not sexy on the outside but is wise in it's own way.
But to the people who love me they know that it is not the "commodity" of sexy. It is about what is deeper. Just as my family, my beloved, my children look closely into my story and see that I am beautiful and valueable. I will look at this new place.
And so, PNW, I will miss your easy summer days and I will pick up humidity and thunderstorms.
I will be sad in February when the whole world around me is brown, but I will bask in the sun making her promises.
Off we go world. Seeking wisdom where we may.
A reader asked me, "where are you? I hope everything is ok!" in the comments section of the previous blog.
So much to say so much....
It is easy to see why people love living in the Pacific Northwest. Frankly, it is easy to see why people love living in the West. It is strikingly beautiful here. Even when we are not paying attention to life the beauty is overwhelming. In this midst of our own self we cannot help but notice a mountain, a sunset on the water, a waterfall, a creek full of salmon. These things are easy to spot the beauty in.
Even the delightfully warm but temperate summers and the not too cold and evergreen winters can be a serious invitation. Living in this region has stolen my heart at moments but sometime in the past year and a half or so I have had this lingering feeling that we either needed to get married or we needed to break it off. Meaning, we needed to see ourselves here for a long time or we needed to imagine anew.
Instead let me write here that we are moving to Indiana: Indianapolis, Indiana to be exact.
In the past couple of years I have learned something important from my students. I have learned about colonialization and the impact of that. I have learned about the buying and selling of culture. I could go somewhere exotic...but that is not who I am. I am going to go home. (To a place that was colonized by Europeans and all of the Native Persons were literally killed or sent on a death march to Kansas). I am going to a place that is not sexy on the outside but is wise in it's own way.
But to the people who love me they know that it is not the "commodity" of sexy. It is about what is deeper. Just as my family, my beloved, my children look closely into my story and see that I am beautiful and valueable. I will look at this new place.
And so, PNW, I will miss your easy summer days and I will pick up humidity and thunderstorms.
I will be sad in February when the whole world around me is brown, but I will bask in the sun making her promises.
Off we go world. Seeking wisdom where we may.
Hey, dear, I haven't read for a while, but I've been thinking of you since hearing the news from Bette. I'm sad that we won't ever visit you in the wonderful northwest -- but here comes this news that you will be closer to our wonderful northeast! Perhaps the days are shortened to our reconnecting. Peace and all good ...
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