Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. - John F. Kennedy
Today [this was written yesterday] is the day I get the keys to the new house. So it seems wonderfully fitting that my daily 'meditation' email was the quote above.
Of course, moving over the back fence is NOT a big deal. I've had much more momentous changes in the past. In fact, I used to be an itchy feet sort of person. Maybe that itself has changed?
Before this house, the longest I'd lived anywhere as an adult was almost four years - and that was our apartment at Bondi, which preceded this place. I think part of it is having kids. The big one is deeply averse to change; the little one is happy wherever you take it, but both of them love our area. We are part of the community, what with school and baseball and soccer and swimming ... and bumping into at least five people you know every time you go out. It's hard to break with that just for the sake of it.
I wonder whether it will change again when the kids leave home and we are empty nesters? Will we move again - I like the idea of a small house or apartment in the city and a small block of land in the country - or will we be SO habit-bound by then that we DIE in the same house!?
3 comments:
That kind of neighbourhood (where you bump into people you know each time you go out) and that kind of stability are great for kids, I think. We've moved a bit more than that, but for the last 20 years have lived in the same city (albeit on a tiny adjoining island 15K from our old home for the last 12 or so years).
Pater's dad built a house (with P's mom) and raised kids and lived into his 70s across the back lane from the house he was born in -- he and my MIL now live in a condo about 3K away from that. There are worse fates. . .
I agree with you, Mater, about it being good for kids to have that stability. I lived in five different countries as a child - I certainly enjoyed it, but I also think that's part of why I don't mind being in one place now. I figure we all - self & spouse, the kids themselves - can move on later. So long as we get to travel from time to time, my wanderlust stays under control!
THAT IS SUCH A FANTASTIC QUOTE.
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