I am one who went 3,000 miles away for about a decade and circled back to within 600 miles of home, and I cannot imagine having done otherwise. I’m glad for you that you are able to travel as far as you need to go - if not to complicate a narrative, then just to explore. :-)
Growing up here, I never intended to stay in Anchorage. And then, circumstance after circumstance, I had more and more of my formative experiences here. I wrestle with the narrative of "staying" all the time- sometimes I feel proud and loyal (even self righteous) and other times I feel underdeveloped and unseen. I so appreciate what you said about not actually having all the say in how your path unfolds (observing it seems more accurate than directing it) and how the world needs all kinds of people to unravel all kinds of shame: the shame of staying and the shame of leaving, in all their manifestations. Thanks again for sharing your beautiful, sensitive thoughts!
I am one who went 3,000 miles away for about a decade and circled back to within 600 miles of home, and I cannot imagine having done otherwise. I’m glad for you that you are able to travel as far as you need to go - if not to complicate a narrative, then just to explore. :-)
Thanks Tara. I’ve been sitting with this
Growing up here, I never intended to stay in Anchorage. And then, circumstance after circumstance, I had more and more of my formative experiences here. I wrestle with the narrative of "staying" all the time- sometimes I feel proud and loyal (even self righteous) and other times I feel underdeveloped and unseen. I so appreciate what you said about not actually having all the say in how your path unfolds (observing it seems more accurate than directing it) and how the world needs all kinds of people to unravel all kinds of shame: the shame of staying and the shame of leaving, in all their manifestations. Thanks again for sharing your beautiful, sensitive thoughts!
The flip side of it all! Thank *you*, Claire, for this beautiful reflection