Location, location, location.

“Wherever you are, be all there.” – Jim Elliot

Bloom where you’re planted.

Two different quotes, but they share many similarities.  The idea of location has been in my thoughts a lot this week.

Recently a friend announced he was moving.  Many of us knew this was a possibility, the announcement still made many of us sad.  We will be loosing a great guy.  Sure, with the internet and all of today’s technology, we can still keep in touch, but the physical person will now be across the country, and not across town.

My shop is 17 miles from my home.  Not a bad commute, and much shorter than the commute of many I know.  But at the same time, it seems so far away some days.  My home and my shop are both in distinctly separate small towns.  My hometown is larger, but my shop’s town, and it’s “sister” town,  have many of the same amenities.  I often feel torn between the two locations when planning what events I’m attending, and which committees, boards, and community organizations to help.

This winter has been hard on me.  I live in Western Pennsylvania, a region known for it’s crazy weather.  I’m used to winters around here.  But this one started early, is running long, and came with extra dose of  deep freeze and snow.  It has not been your typical winter, and it’s messing with my aches, pains, and my mental state.

All of these thought have been spinning around in my brain, some days I’d love to live somewhere else.  We have other friends and family in the region of the country to which our friend is moving, it’s a few USDA growing zones warmer there too – I could live with that.  And there are many other areas of the country with warmer winters but which still experience a full changing of the seasons.  But what about the shop?  Our family here?  My hubby’s job?

I could really use a bit of warm weather and sunshine right now.  As I look at pictures my vacationing friends share, I wonder, where do the people who live in “paradise” go for vacation?  And honestly, we’ve got so much going for us in this area, that it’s hard to think of a similar place that’s just a bit warmer in winter and where I could bike commute all year long.  I’m really started to understand the concept of a “snow bird”, I just can’t wrap my head around the expense and the  half-a-life you live in each location.

All this rambling to say, where you live is a big deal.  If you chose where you are now, why did you?  Some people are where they are because of family, others relocate for work.  Some remain in the town of their birth their entire life.  Why?  Why not?  The answers are interesting, but what is really important is what you are doing with your time at your present location.  That’s what both of the quotes have in common.  They both express the same sentiment.  Sure, you’re where you are.  But are you really living as if you are there for a reason?

I’m not sure what my reason is, but I keep trying to  figure it out and some days I feel I’m successful, other days, not so much.