How do you choose where you really want to live? You need to be in touch with yourself and what you truly want in life. The people you want to befriend, the way you want your child raised, the atmosphere, ethics and values you can tolerate and accept and the kind of people that can become your friends.
Without judging, I grew up and lived for many in a small town in the middle of the United States, where people were pretentious. They were always on as if they were on television or in a stage play, continually. It always seemed so funny to me. Because I lived in that atmosphere, I was, I’m sure, just as much the same way.
After living away from that small town more than 10 years, I met someone from that area on a plane. We began talking and I found the same mannerisms and the same affected speech that I had grown up around and I was amazed. Nothing had changed! It seems incredible to me that I could recognize someone from that area while being so far away from there. Many thoughts and feelings came flooding back. Did I say I miss it? In some ways, yes definitely. However, I now live in an area where we really are on and nothing is affected or pretentious. It’s all preposterous!
Seriously, life is being lived here actually and vividly. I don’t know if it’s because the working hours are longer leaving us so much less time for ourselves and our families, or if there are more traumas and catastrophic situations, or more serious life dramas, but there is not time for pretentiousness or the staging of anything.
Do I like living in constant chaos? No, however, I do not like the idea of driving on ice everyday, in blizzard conditions and minus 40 degrees. Until I can find a weather oriented place suited to me, I will stay where I am and visit occasionally.
I do miss those people I grew up with and lived near, the small community situation, the older generation I left behind, the memories, and the team spirit we all felt. What I have now is a mish mash of every state in the union and many small countries. Wherein some know and understand team spirit, others have no clue. This makes for a very interesting and difficult work environment and neighborhood situations. At times it feels like a third world country and I have no idea what the language is and other times I have the best of friends from a variety of countries and states. I have been stepped on, cursed at and lied to, and gently befriended. Sounds like this State needs to be on lithium!
Seriously, it’s been a wild ride. I am not giving up the ship yet, but I would love to find a small town to work and live where I can slow down and enjoy the ride instead of there always being chaos everywhere. I am definitely open to suggestions.