In a conversation with my friend Janie a few weeks ago we were talking about our mutual inner conflict between being 'settled' - having a consistent home place, watching seasons pass from the same vantage point, building a community and the security of a consistent life-pace - and being transient adventurers. We both experience some similar inner conflicts around these two choices and are probably both guilty of wanting both at the same time. Well, I know I am. I crave the wandering life, to spend extended time on expedition, travel to new places, master some new self-propelled mode of travel, instruct in a new course area. At the exact same time I dread the departure; I seek the stability of place that most of my counterparts have long since settled into (while I have left them behind and vice versa).
In recent months, after a rather absurdly eventful year in my personal, professional and family life I have made a commitment to myself to work on the 'staying put' aspect of my life path. To pay attention to and revel in slowness and sameness, to resist the urge to flit off madly in all directions like a dog in a squirrel colony.This is the starting point for this blog. An exploration of the art of staying still. Stay tuned.
An interesting concept, and a very interesting challenge. I am the opposite - always nestled, staying safe, cocooned. Nesting. Comfortable, unmoving. No change.
ReplyDeleteMy past year has been, a little bit, about pushing out of safety. Add to that the fact that raising a child has pushed me so far beyond my safe little nest at times that I am - finally - learning to build a tent that can be ported with me, rather than a fortress of unmoving stone that keeps getting crumbled time after time.
So this is interesting to me, the opposite of the path I have walked. You're working on staying put, I'm working on shaking away from stagnant unmovingness. There must be a place in the middle, no? Between flight and sedentary stillness?
I look forward to your blogs.
R.