Tuesday 1 June 2010

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I've been having some unusual thoughts lately.  While these thoughts have been unusual for me, I acquiesce that they are not that extraordinary for the average person: 

I have been thinking of NOT moving.

As I have previously alluded to - or perhaps even talked about outright - I move a lot.  In fact, since I left my parents' home (the first time) nearly 16 years ago, I have moved 13 times.  I have lived in 5 countries on 3 continents.  I have not lived in the same town for more than 3 1/2 years.  Moving, for me and my family, is constant.  It's what we do.

For the most part, I like it.  I love the adventure of discovering a new place and I love being able to meet new people.  However, there have been some drawbacks to this lifestyle.  First and foremost, there is the beurocracy: the visas and permits that are required to live in a foreign country, which have meant that, for as long as we've been doing this, I have been entirely dependent upon my husband to provide for our family.  This is because a) his company provides us with the necessary paperwork and b) I am generally not allowed to work.  Also, I have found it very difficult to allow myself to start anything, knowing that I will not be able to finish it before we find ourselves packing again.

But lately, as a result of my yearning for more independence and my undertaking new projects for myself (classes, etc) I have found myself toying with the incredible thought of actually NOT moving.  I think I might like to stay in one spot for at least a few more years.  I'd like to be able to get back on my feet and see where this path is leading me.  It's a bit of a scary thought, this wish to be immobile; this wish for something like stability.  But I kind of like the idea of giving myself some time to see where I'm going. 

Maybe the trick is that in order to let myself go, I needn't really go anywhere at all.  

1 comment:

  1. Maybe the trick is that in order to let myself go, I needn't really go anywhere at all.

    You can find yourself when you sit still with yourself and listen...

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