A Simple Phrase

Mark asked me this evening if this feels like home. I didn't hesitate in saying yes, but I followed my answer up by voicing a strange feeling I have that, on the one hand, even though we've only been here a month, it feels like home; on the other hand, it is strange because we still don't really know anyone. I have met lots of wonderful people, and I therefore can match some new faces to their names, but I don't know any of them yet. Additionally, although I can now arrive at several destinations without the aid of the GPS, I'm doubtful I know the routes well enough that I could direct anyone else to those destinations.

It is home. A simple phrase which sounds surreal to me because I never would have imagined it. In fact, if you had asked me 3 months ago for my Top 50 Places I Would Like Live list, I can almost guarantee that Connecticut would not have been on there. But after experiencing life in New England, I can't believe I never considered putting it on The List. It is amazing here. I love the charm of the little towns nestled in the trees, the homes hidden away in the hills, the little mom and pop shops that serve each little township. And besides all of that it is absolutely beautiful here! The outside is splashed with colors I never knew existed on autumn trees, and the setting for those trees is just lovely.

Nothing is flat here (which I know will present a whole new problem when I set out to drive in the winter). And there are parks everywhere. Numerous little hiking trails are tucked away here and there in every direction. Besides the outdoor possibilities, there is so much to do here. If I wanted to, I could schedule a field trip everyday.

Then there are the people. Stereotypically, a northerner is abrupt and rude. I have yet to meet someone who matches that stereotype. (Well, unless you count the guy I almost ran into at the corner of B- St. and J- St. I turned left in front of a line of cars because the front car was turning right on the street where I was. The guy behind him got impatient and tried to go around him at the same time I was turning left. I guess he wasn't all that angry because he waved at me. Poor guy, though--he was missing all but one of his fingers. I smiled to let him know I forgave him for crossing the double yellow line.) Everyone we have met here is extra friendly and bends over backwards to be welcoming and of help.

So, do I miss my old home? Of course I do. I miss the familiarity and, most importantly, the people who were, and still are, such an important part of our lives. But I'm happy here, and I look forward to growing a familiarity here and to getting to know the people who will hopefully become an important part of our lives here. It is home.