Art and I got to Connecticut Friday night. We were lucky because the weather cooperated with us and our flight here was (mostly) okay. (The plane bucked over the Rockies like a bronco buster. You can imagine how happy that made me)!
But we got a beautiful gift today. The sky got pregnant with little grey fish-belly clouds that seemed to get heavier and heavier with each passing hour of the day until at about 2:00 it gave birth to a beautiful baby snow. Now, for two people who have lived in California for most of their adult life, this was an enormous thrill! I can’t remember the last time I saw snow, but it was probably about five years ago (when we lived in Tennessee).
Tonight as I looked out across the street there was a thin layer of white outlining the trees and the houses. Our neighbors had all thoughtfully put up their Christmas lights early this month, so the whole street was glittering and shining. For just a moment we both agreed that this was the only place to be. We could imagine living here year round. We made ourselves a cup of tea and sat in front of the fireplace (although we didn’t have any logs, so we could only imagine the roaring fire).
Of course, we then realized that we would miss California way too much to be here year round. It’s a sad fact that, no matter where we are, we are missing somebody, since Art’s family is here and my family is in California. We decided that the only solution was to have a home in both places, which is what we have finally managed to do.
I don’t know if this was our wisest possible financial decision. I would need a CPA and a crystal ball to tell you that. I do know that it was the best decision for our souls. Family, I have come to believe, is the bedrock that keeps you firmly grounded and centered.
When we moved to Tennessee some ten years ago, we were so foolish that we thought we could just pick up and move to a place where we had no roots. In the six years we lived there, although we had a few very dear friends, nothing could fill that gap. When I got sick back in 2000, it was crystal clear that I had to return to my family. We made a beeline for California. And I’m so glad we did!
But as soon as I was better, I found that I missed Art’s family, too, maybe almost as much as he did. I remember being in Sunday school and learning about Ruth in the Old Testament who said, “Thy people shall be my people.” At the time I didn’t understand how that could happen. Wonderful thing about marriage – it really does.
So we’ll be here for another week, enjoying the nippy weather and setting up house. Hoping for more snow (and hoping it will stop in time for us to make our way back to Sunny California). But mostly, we’ll be enjoying being home with family. I guess the truth is, whenever you’re with family, you’re home.
© 2004, Robin Munson