I'm kind of proud of my heritage. I have traced my family in this country back to the 1600s, when they colonized New York. My grandpa still owns 40 acres of a tract of land that descends from them. We also have a certificate hanging in his house for a tract of 40 acres of land for service in the War of 1812 that some ancestor of mine did. I have ancestors who fought in the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and I have relatives who have fought in every war since. I kind of like this American heritage.
Then I moved west and I felt very American as I did it. As I tell my students, it takes a particular kick in your stride to be the kind of crazy person to move far away from home to make a go of it. Now of course, I did this in the age of internet, telephones, airplanes, so it's not quite as cool as my ancestors who came over from Holland. But - I think it is in that great tradition. I live far away from home - in a beautiful place with native people with their own customs and I try to fit in - maybe I should offer them a turkey at Thanksgiving time...
My family, and my children's family, which of course is larger than mine because it includes my husband's family, don't quite understand this. They all live within driving distance of each other and if they don't, they are desperate to get to driving distance. When they tell me I should move home, I nod and smile, which I generally do for all people's opinions that I am ignoring.
I love it here. I love the mountains, I love the dry air, I love the snow all winter, I love the heat all summer - I love it here. And I have found my own tribe here, so I actually do live near family - just not biological family.
And I have just discovered another thing I love about living here - everyone has to mail you presents, so you have presents under the tree for 2 weeks!! That never happened when I lived 5 minutes from my family, because they all just brought the presents on Christmas day.
Love it here. Love celebrating Christmas with my family here.
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3 comments:
I'm sure glad that you're part of my tribe :) (And offering turkey is all well and good--as long as you're not offering a side of small pox to go with it!)
Which is why we elected you our leader...Oh-new-commer-from-the-east.
Wait... you nod and smile at me all the time. I think I might be offended?
And I am thinking of making jackets for our tribe. Will you wear it?
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