A word

Before I went to Portland I had a lot of thoughts about moving there. 

I've been in Michigan now for 9 years. I have lived in my condo, attended the same church, and had the same job for 5 years. I've never done any of those things for so long before. I had the itch for change, real change, adventure.

Also, it had been about 16 months since I'd even left the State of Michigan. This is also a long time for me to stay put. I like to GO. I like to SEE. I like to VISIT. This runs in my family, clearly.

Over Winter Break I was even looking for teaching jobs in Portland. Blythe was encouraging me and this helped, knowing that I would already have one friend there. I was so excited to go and discover the answer to this now burning question, "Will I move?"

I loved visiting Blythe and her family. Her husband soonly joined the "Move diane to Portland" Parade. Others along the way also chimed in. The trip fed me in many ways:

1) I met (more) like minded people. The way I want to live in Michigan takes work. By this I mean, living on the local economy, eating well, living simply, gardening, etc. But in Portland, the entire culture of the city seems to support this lifestyle. This was enticing.

2) The weather. I am sick of Michigan weather. I know, we all are. And I love snow, don't get me wrong. But I just don't need the 4 months of Summer, 1 month of Fall, 6 months of Winter, and 1 month of Spring that we affectionately call Michigan Weather. Portland is an evergreen city. There are only 2 snowplows. It's as rainy and cloudy as Holland, and that's okay with me.

3) I felt as though I was immediately introduced to a writing community. This spoke to me and fed me more than I have words to share with you. 

4) I left my normal life for 8 days. This was just. plain. good.

But then I came home. Actually, it was my 3 hour drive from Detroit to Holland that gave me a lot of time to Really Consider what I want out of life.

1) Family. I have 9 nieces and nephews. Two of 'em live 5 miles away. Three live within a day's drive. And my parents are just down the street. Not to mention my network of wonderful and supportive cousins. 

2) My church. This fall will be my 7 year anniversary at Mars Hill. I adore my community there. It is hard for me to imagine ever finding something like it anywhere else.

3) My house. My house is really pretty. I want to live in it.

And as for all those good things about Portland, well, they are still good. But I also have a wonderful group of friends who are like-minded and pursue the Best Way to Live with me. Same with writing. As Deb said, "the nice thing about being a writer is that you can do it anywhere." She's right. The kicker is that I have to DO it.

And I'm going to. Less than a week after I returned from Spring Break I booked myself 3 nights in a hotel up north. I'm going to do this. I am going to start writing a book, or whatever that means for me right now. 

Portland was the right place for me to go at the exact right time. I needed to be connected to other writers. I needed to go on vacation and won't let another 16 months go by before I leave again, it's not good for my soul. And I know where home is, at least for now.

It's always good to know where Home is.