The plum trees that we planted in 2006 have been covered with the sweetest, most delicious plums this year. Interestingly it took them 3.5 years to bear fruit.
Hmm. My life has been marked by moves from city to city, from country to country.
Here is its trajectory–Born in Jamshedpur, India; moved to boarding school in Nainital, India when I was 9, volunteered with Mother Teresa in Orissa and Calcutta when I was 17-18, then lived in Madras, then in Oxford, England, then Columbus, Ohio, USA; Binghamton, New York; and then I got married. As a married couple, we’ve lived in Cornell, New York; Palo Alto, California; Williamsburg, Virginia; Minnesota, Minneapolis; then back to Williamsburg, Virginia for another 11 years, then back to England, to Manchester, Lancashire; and then back to Oxford, England where we’ve lived for 5.5 years. I hope we have come full circle, that this is our metaphorical Ithaca, where we will stay for good.
We have lived in 10 homes over our married life of 20 years. So, on average, a move every 2 years!! No wonder, we have not been productive. Moving takes an enormous amount of physical and emotional energy, not to mention the necessity of making new friends, and establishing new networks. We love where we live now, and have no serious plans to move–ever.
I really enjoy slowing putting metaphorical roots into the soil of Oxford, getting to know people, a wide range of people, investing in their lives, slowly establishing friendships which steadily deepen. Getting to know this town even better, setting up rhythms, routines, and a life here. I am very happy here, and love living here.
