Why? (Chris)

This whirlwind reshuffling of our lives has prompted lots of questions, chief of which is "why?" Why would we want to give up our beautiful home, our privacy, our independence, our...whatever?

Honestly, there is not a bumper-sticker type answer for me. Chiefly, it feels right to me. I want to go a little more in-depth, though. So, in no particular order, here is a list of reasons why I wanted to reconfigure our lives.

1. It fits my values. I want a close family. I want to be environmentally aware. I want to live in the city where I can walk to things or take public transportation. I want to share these ideals with my son. Ruth and I have talked about joining a commune before--specifically one up in the Pacific Northwest that sounds pretty neat. But making changes close to home is eminently more doable.

2. The challenge. I like the idea of being able to fix up a home. I like the decluttering aspect, the letting go of materialism. I like the effort of walking the walk and not just talking the talk. (and, yes, I'm speaking in cliched terms. Sue me). Ruth and I have moved about several times in the last 5 years, and we enjoy the making a new home aspect.

3. I'm looking for family. Some readers may know about my estrangement from my parents. Fortunately, I married into an amazing one and I want to strengthen those bonds.

4. It is good for Liam. I want him to be close to his grandparents--I loved mine, but wasn't as close as I wanted to be, because they were all in Pennsylvania. Here, he has the opportunity to have a great connection with them. I do believe in the 'it takes a village' proverb.

5. It already felt like home. Before we moved in, we already spent a lot of time during our weekends back from Jourdanton. We love being here.

6. Hmm...not sure how to go further....except to say that being here has felt amazingly natural. Our family has supported each other so well, and it has been very easy to integrate our lives so far. I'm sure there will be challenges and some difficulties ahead. But this experience has already been richely rewarding.

(wow...I sound like I should be a recruiter...but I do actually believe in everything I wrote. What's going on here is really changing my life for the better. I feel more capable, more....complete than I have in a while.)