Settling In, August 2010
We considered together what this move has meant. The move to Phoenix,
Az has meant much warmer days, a much dryer air and more than that,
new ways of connecting with Stark County. That we all knew. Many of
you readers said things like, We will miss you, or well at least you
will be warmer in the winter months. When we got here, a person said,
you come here in this 110 degree weather. Why?
We moved to Arizona so that we can improve our well being. In
Illinois, the weather for us was miserable due to humidity. We just
couldn't find ways to be healthier. Also, we need to have convenient
ways to exercise. In Arizona, even as soon as five days, we feel
better and we have more convenient ways to exercise. We also had found
that it took a whole day some time with a single purpose and now the
doctors, the various stores and restaurants, are nearby. Then, we are
out of a house that we had to get ready for others and a yard that I
could no longer manage.
The settling in has to do with meeting people, getting acquainted with
new friends and sharing with people we already knew here. The real
settling is to be found in what I wrote about moving, you change
relationships with people in an area from a "taking for granted" that
is up close to a relationship that has a distance to it. The people
here are friendly, but the new relationship does not include a, I have
known you a long time. I know what you will and what you won't do. I
don't know the new people that way... yet.
The people who live here are just like people anywhere. It is
interesting to discover that most of the inhabitants of the community
are "snow birds" or are a few who are permanent residents of Phoenix.
One of the developments of our move is getting our "stuff" organized
along with a determination not to accumulate any more stuff. So
possessions are identified as few and far between. Activity is a
matter of change. We can exercise in several ways, thus far it is too
hot to walk outside, but there are ways and places to walk inside.
But the meaning that has brought me up short, is that we needed to
move. The meanings that I have mentioned were the ones that came into
being as we responded to the need. The difficulties came into being as
we took action. The best example is the yard and garden. I looked out
of a window and saw things that needed to be done and I could not do
them. I needed to get away from the stress that I now see. You say, we
will miss you. My response to that I realize that I had retired as a
preacher and that I no longer had any of the pastoral duties. I knew
that I could not preach, my voice was worn from years of preaching. I
could not just know that, the stress of knowing left me feeling
useless. Today, here In Arizona, I am away far enough to appreciate
you and to remember with pride, the work we did together.
So I am not just calm and at peace with my past life. I am healthier
in mind and body. Dodie and I are walking, learning to give up the
thoughts that came from our stresses and more than that we are finding
peace and happiness in living in a new place with new concerns We are
settling in to a new life that is filled with memories of people we
have known and loved and lives that were productive we will find new
ways to be productive.
We hope to hear from all of you and continue with our relationships
there. Our address here is E 4762 Ahwatukee Drive, Phoenix, Arizona
85044.
More Sour Grapes and Saddle Sores
We considered together what this move has meant. The move to Phoenix,
Az has meant much warmer days, a much dryer air and more than that,
new ways of connecting with Stark County. That we all knew. Many of
you readers said things like, We will miss you, or well at least you
will be warmer in the winter months. When we got here, a person said,
you come here in this 110 degree weather. Why?
We moved to Arizona so that we can improve our well being. In
Illinois, the weather for us was miserable due to humidity. We just
couldn't find ways to be healthier. Also, we need to have convenient
ways to exercise. In Arizona, even as soon as five days, we feel
better and we have more convenient ways to exercise. We also had found
that it took a whole day some time with a single purpose and now the
doctors, the various stores and restaurants, are nearby. Then, we are
out of a house that we had to get ready for others and a yard that I
could no longer manage.
The settling in has to do with meeting people, getting acquainted with
new friends and sharing with people we already knew here. The real
settling is to be found in what I wrote about moving, you change
relationships with people in an area from a "taking for granted" that
is up close to a relationship that has a distance to it. The people
here are friendly, but the new relationship does not include a, I have
known you a long time. I know what you will and what you won't do. I
don't know the new people that way... yet.
The people who live here are just like people anywhere. It is
interesting to discover that most of the inhabitants of the community
are "snow birds" or are a few who are permanent residents of Phoenix.
One of the developments of our move is getting our "stuff" organized
along with a determination not to accumulate any more stuff. So
possessions are identified as few and far between. Activity is a
matter of change. We can exercise in several ways, thus far it is too
hot to walk outside, but there are ways and places to walk inside.
But the meaning that has brought me up short, is that we needed to
move. The meanings that I have mentioned were the ones that came into
being as we responded to the need. The difficulties came into being as
we took action. The best example is the yard and garden. I looked out
of a window and saw things that needed to be done and I could not do
them. I needed to get away from the stress that I now see. You say, we
will miss you. My response to that I realize that I had retired as a
preacher and that I no longer had any of the pastoral duties. I knew
that I could not preach, my voice was worn from years of preaching. I
could not just know that, the stress of knowing left me feeling
useless. Today, here In Arizona, I am away far enough to appreciate
you and to remember with pride, the work we did together.
So I am not just calm and at peace with my past life. I am healthier
in mind and body. Dodie and I are walking, learning to give up the
thoughts that came from our stresses and more than that we are finding
peace and happiness in living in a new place with new concerns We are
settling in to a new life that is filled with memories of people we
have known and loved and lives that were productive we will find new
ways to be productive.
We hope to hear from all of you and continue with our relationships
there. Our address here is E 4762 Ahwatukee Drive, Phoenix, Arizona
85044.
More Sour Grapes and Saddle Sores