Friday, December 23, 2005

Why I didn't move back to ND in part

The other day a friend of mine posted an old picture of me from my high school yearbook. 

 

It reminded me why I didn’t move back to North Dakota in 1995 when I planned to.

 

The big problem for me is the frame of reference which people see me from.  When I recently connected with friends from a church I attended in Fargo they immediately went back to what I was like when I first came into the church in the late 70’s.  30 years ago.  I’ve lived in Chicago 20 of them.

 

For those at the church I am frozen in time. For the yearbook people I’m frozen in time. 

 

Except none of us ever are.  We are the sum of all we experienced, loved, pain we suffered, work, disease, travel, books we read and every thought we have had.  We have become what we think about all day long.

 

So, unless I want to be discounted pejoratively in a frame of reference from 30 or 40 years ago I will not move back to deal with pigeon-holers who insist on putting me in a box.

 

I will not be boxed up and discounted. 

 

I’ll stay here.

 

 

 

 

1 comment:

NodakJack said...

Where's the picture of you? Hmm? If you think you're "frozen in tme," it's good you didn't move back, because you'd freeze more than you watch out here....As you know. I think the weather has more to do with your reluctance to come back here than anything...or not.