7.15.2011

in this new place

I don't have a single photo to share. In fact, I don't even know whether or not we've unpacked the camera yet, or where it might be. We are successfully living in our new house (renting, that is) in Atlanta. Our neighborhood is great. I can walk to the farmer's market, a shaded playground, a vegan bakery, a cafe, the library and post office, and my best friend's house. I love being in walking distance of pretty much everything!

I am missing my friends in Chattanooga, however. I wish they were here with me, then it would all be perfect. And of course my dear ones from Missouri, as well! Who doesn't want all of their best friends together, with them, all the time?

In the excitement (read: stress) of moving, I have not been writing. Not here, not in my trusty journal. Where is that thing, anyway? I'm still spending some time each day unpacking, and cleaning, and rearranging things until they make sense.

It is strange to be back here. I lived in Georgia for 12 years of my life, then married and moved, and have spent 5 years away. Now that I'm back, with kids, and as a new person myself, who has grown and changed immeasurably in these 5 years, everything is familiar yet it is different. Friends and places that were here when I left are still here, yet they have changed as well over the years. I was invited to a party with some of those old friends and I felt immense anxiety at the prospect of seeing them. There are parts of my life I'd rather leave in the past. However, other old friends are popping up to say hello and I feel incredibly pleased. It is almost like meeting them all over again - people change so much, truly we are changing every minute.

I have also been using this big change of location to spur on other changes. I won't bore you with the details, but I'll just say that our fridge and pantry are healthier than ever. Hopefully as the dust settles, my writing will take on a life of its own again, and I will be curious to see what changes come about in my writing, in this new place.

What changes are you experiencing right now?

5 comments:

natalie said...

i could write so much right now, but i'll just start by saying i want to hear about this pantry & fridge change. you should make an entry about your ideas... you have such a wealth of knowledge in this area!
also, i am so happy that you are back within walking distance of such good things. i think this transition will be so good for your soul!

Ivy Bliss said...

It was so amazing to see you and Scott...and your little ones. Everything has indeed changed. But we are all the same. The same friends. The same souls. Riding away, I felt completely content with life, and grateful for the gift of friendship that spans from the midwest to the south and back.
It is so good to have you back. We need to have another reunion...see if we can get the whole crew and those of us, like myself, who were fortunate enough to crave coffee together! :)

Lainey Seyler said...

your new 'hood sounds awesome! it must be moving season right now. my roommate is moving to portland and another close friend is moving to philadelphia, all within a week. i don't like it.

nic said...

Ah, change. It is in the air, it seems. We are winding down summer, gearing up for fall (a constant transition in our academic-household!). I'm teaching my last class at EMU, and getting ready to start my new position at WSU--an exciting change, but also one that has me nervous as a racehorse. I'm sure you can relate to this: I'm just looking forward to *after* the change, to when things can slide back into *normal*...whatever that is.

jessie said...

I love this entry. I love your move to ATL. Also, I can completely relate to how strange it is to move back to a "home town" although I know you have many of those. When I first moved back to Columbia it was so weird because I recognized all the places, but none of the people. To top it off, I kept feeling like I was seeing people I knew when I wasn't. I'd think I was recognizing someone, and then I would realize that it was a person I knew somewhere else, like in NJ or IL or something. Still, keep writing on here. Take pictures when you find the camera, I want to see. xoxo times a million. Jessie