Oh my goodness, it is so long since I last posted.
In honesty, I had somewhat lost my writing mojo. It happens. I have learned to wait it out because it ALWAYS returns. My brain doesn’t stop thinking of things to say (chance would be a fine thing!), but it is the actual sitting down and writing that somewhat eluded me.
Plus, I have been thinking of all the noise out there. You know, the NOISE. The cyber noise. So much chatter. So much going on. And I wondered if I wanted to add to that. And I didn’t. So I didn’t. I just sat in the corner quietly. I have a friend who is very quiet. Everyone thinks he doesn’t have anything to say. But he does. He just doesn’t feel the need to compete with everyone to say it. He listens. A lot. So that is what I have been doing. Listening. Reading. Absorbing. Discarding.
But today I wanted to write. So here I am.
I came across this:
It is the 100 questions from the School of Life. A few months ago, a friend and I attended one of their courses right here in Melbourne. I know! School of Life is here! You should go if you can to one of their courses because they are brilliant. On the day we went there was a famous actor in our class (and no, I am not going to tell you who it was!). I was a little star struck, I have to be honest, but I played it super cool (because, you know, that’s how I roll!). It was lovely to have him there because the course was entitled How to be Confident. It just goes to show even really super confident super famous actors need a boost every now and again. And I loved how our class of 20 or so people just let him be a part of the course, to ask the questions and to just be a person. That was super nice.
Anyway, I digress. So I saw these 100 questions in the shop and bought them.
So I thought today, I would randomly select a question and write about that here. I have read some of the questions and I have to admit they can be pretty tough, and confronting, and revealing, but I think that is kind of the point. So here is the first question:
Oh this is a goodie!
In my lifetime I have lived in around 34 houses. (You can read about some of the places I have lived here). Considering I am only in my late 40s that is a lot of moving around. A lot! And you might think that because I have moved around a lot I am used to it and would have itchy feet periodically. To some extent this is true. But here’s the thing.
Because I have moved around a lot, I have been like the proverbial rolling stone that gathers no moss. I have no history in the place I now reside. No extended family, no friends that have known me my whole life and have travelled through all my dramas with me and I with them. When I am with people whose whole life has been lived in this one place, whose cousins and aunts share their history, I feel a pang. I do. There is a lot to be said for planting roots and having history.
However … I am extremely grateful for the experience of living in all the places I have done. I have lived on three continents, which is more than just travelling to them as a tourist. I have become ensconced in the culture, learned the lingo and become a lot more understanding of the nuances that make a nation tick. And I love that I have experienced that. I truly believe it has shaped me to be the person I am today and I am a much better person for it.
But, I am ready to settle now. We have lived in Melbourne for nine years now. And I love it here. I miss England, where, if I am honest my heart still calls home, but Melbourne is a very good second best. I have long term friends that I met when we got here and we now have history with them. Whilst I have a small family, the likes of Skype mean I can contact my extended family any time I like. The world is a small place now.
But my wanderlust is not yet over. Not by a long shot. Whilst it is unlikely that I will live in another country (unless it is to return to my native England), I want to travel so much. Mr C and I always said that we would do our travelling after our children were grown. We have already done a fair bit of travelling already, but our big bucket list dream is to travel the world together. We had children young when money was tight and life was tough. Getting us through those times was that dream.
How about you, are you nomadic, or are you one who prefers the settled life? Have you been like some people who have lived in one place their entire life, but long to live like a gypsy? Be sure to leave a comment and let me know.
Until next time
Love your post, how good is your box of questions I think that is fantastic. I myself love having my settled life and all the history that goes with it, but I would easily be tempted to just hit the road and travel for a number of years, enjoy the country and experience life!
Thanks Sam. Most people I have spoken to either wish they had a more settled life, or love the settled life they have. It is an interesting conundrum. Perhaps the wanderlust is good to indulge once we are adults, but first setting down roots is important? Hope you get to do some travelling xx
I’m a bit torn about this question. While I love bringing our kids up in this wonderful environment I have an incredibly strong urge to move on. We’ve lived in this area for nearly 20 years and in our house for about 12 years. That is the longest I’ve lived anywhere, ever. I moved around a lot as a child and in my years before marriage. I like feeling settled and part of a community but wanderlust is strong. What I’d really love is to live overseas for a year or two but it’s the juggling with kids thing. Aaahh decisions…
I agree Deb, such a difficult decision. The world is vast and yet so accessible. It is so nice to see it and experience it. I know of some people who have been terribly brave and taken their children out of formal schooling for a couple of years to travel the world and experience different cultures. Perhaps something to ponder on?
I like a settled life and I’m very much a home body. Wow 34 houses. I’ll have to read that story another type. Zoe xx
Settled is good Zoe. It gives us a sense of place and belonging. That’s important.
Hi Sarah,
I’m like you, and after moving frequently have now called Melbourne home for almost 14 years. I miss having a ‘home town’ (my parents were nomadic too) and having a shared history with friends here, but I also think my experiences have made me a richer, more interesting (hopefully!) person. The scene in ‘Chocolat’ where the wind blows and the urge comes to move on has always spoken to me. Like you, I still want to travel more. But I’d like to have a home base to come back to.
Thanks for sharing. I love your writing.
I agree, I believe my experiences have definitely made me a richer person. Perhaps its because I am getting older that I yearn for home turf. I am not sure. But I do know that I get restless very quickly and indeed it is starting again 🙂 Thank you too for your kind comments about my writing xx
I grew up on a boat, sailing the world, and I’m still definitely a nomad. However, I too don’t have a tap root anywhere l, and as a child when we did finally settle I felt envious of the children who had known each other since birth. We settled in Tasmania, so there were a lot of kids like that, and I always felt in the outer. Now I’m struggling with my desire for my children to have that experience vs giving them the world. Decisions, decisions!
Interestingly my parents lived on a yacht for over a year and my daughter spent a good portion of time with them during that time. My mom would often say it was the happiest time of their lives because they had to learn to live very simply. Perhaps there is something in that.