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Saturday, April 09, 2011

H is for...

...home. Home - is where the...hearth is.

Ex-pats, for such a one am I, often speak of "Home". They mean elsewhere, that place from which they are "ex-".

I don't think that way, and - I suppose - I am not alone in this. But, for me, "Home" has most often been where I am.

Dublin, surely. I was born there and did a lot of my growing up there. It remains an on-going process, the "growing up", though I suppose you could say the same of Dublin. Cities, when healthy, continue growing up - even if they have been regarded a "city" for over a thousand years.

Connecticut, USA (as if there were another elsewhere). I spent a year there between 1975 and 1976 - and grew very fond of this country and its population. And it was "Home".

Salamanca, España.¡Cómo no! Great, great fondness and memories of my year there.

Sauverny, France. Two years there, just across the border from Geneva. I have good memories of home there. And a friendship that has survived distance - both of time and space.

I spent time in England, and - though I have deep friendships there - it was just for work, with my home elsewhere. It never seemed like "Home".

Cupertino, Santa Clara and Foster City - all in California. Oh, I am "Home". Of this, there is no doubt.

And now, and now...

The heartland calls, this boy from an island, who lives by the Pacific Ocean, right beside a lake/lagoon filled with salt water, is planning to move to the middle of a continent.

"Itchy feet", my Mother used to call it. (And it had nothing to do with athlete's foot - Momma didn't raise no athlete, at least not in me.)

So, once I perfect my thousand-yard stare and get used to a big sky above me I may well be found by the banks of the Missouri river (I know that gives me a lot of latitude to work with, but I hate being tied down!)

So, in the end, Home may well be where the hearth-land is.

14 comments:

  1. How many homes does the heart hold high? Honestly, honourable Mr Mackey, a reader hustles to keep up, then halts so as not to hinder the lyricism of your longings. (Yikes - I hinted your "L" words).

    Humbling, your hallowed tone.
    ~ Absolutely*Kate, wondering where in CT?

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  2. From one itchy-foot person to another, I salute your latest move. :) My perfect home would be on a cruise ship - waking up to a different country, different city, each week or month...it wouldn't matter, for I want to see it all.

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  3. Just stowayed on the Good Ship Eno.
    Most definitely a good life.

    Fair winds, following seas,
    ~ Absolutely couldn't resist Kate

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  4. While I love to travel, I still think Home is the best place to be :)

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  5. closer to me! Hold on to your hat, it's tornado season.

    Today, for my foodie post tomorrow, I made "traditional Irish soda bread"... I'm not really sure how traditional it actually is, I felt a bit of imaginary nostalgia though. :-)

    ~2

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  6. *Kate: "Humbling, your hallowed tone" - Ha! This from the woman with more artistry with words than I could shake ten sticks at. You honor me, Ma'am.

    Laura: I have to admit, that does sound appealing! I think you may have to look through your luggage, you may find a couple of stowaways among your unmentionables(!)

    Lynda: I agree, home is a wonderful place. It's just that I kinda move "Home" around from time to time.

    2: I'll tie the ribbon on my bonnet - should keep it in place, no?

    Regarding soda bread - not to worry, there are many varieties. I'm happy to eat 'em all.

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  7. *Kate: Orange, CT it was. Not the world's largest metropolis, but within range of some.

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  8. Mr Mackey!!! Orange??? You were my NEIGHBOR for crying out loud! I'm now in the next town over in CT's smallest town - Derby, right at the confluence of the Naugatuck and Housatonic.

    LITERALLY ~ Small world, isn't it? Did you leave friends, acquaintances, family, colleagues, shoe shine boys, Starbux baristas to come back for a visit to? Kindly don't cross into the Nutmeg state without letting me know so that I could buy you a decent cup o'joe or you can show me some Irish concoction worth the *cheers* clink. ~ Absolutely*Kate (still grinnin' at what you said above)

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  9. What a great gift you have, to move all the time and still feel at home.

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  10. *Kate: And I lived on Derby Ave. This is, indeed, a small world. Be assured that I will happily connect should I find myself stomping around old stomping grounds.

    Angela: Thank you. I agree, I have been gifted with having "home" be wherever I found myself. Thank you for stopping by.

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  11. I'm glad I found your blog through the A-Z. I love this post. It's whimsical and poignant at the same time. Home is where you wish it to be, I always say--and you're the perfect example.:)
    nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  12. It's a deal Bucko! To simply, thus strongly know ~ we've 'traveled the same roads' as literally as it gets ... well Kevin, that makes me a better person. I admire your class greatly and love how the sentiment that Angela wrote aptly applies to your embrace of Life.

    I'll be seeing you someday in all the old familiar places that this heart of mine now embraces ... hey, I feel a song comin' on. Matt Hilton calls that "Author Intrusion" over AT THE BIJOU playing now ~ "You Know What I Like". http://tinyurl.com/3vkmj6t

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  13. Love your post about 'home' Kevin, and I really like how you can define it.
    'Home may very well be where the heart-land is.' sounds very plausible to me.
    I somehow never got around to define what home really means to me... although I've tried numerous times. The best I could come up with so far is this: http://goo.gl/skDF2

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  14. nutschell: I'm glad you found your way here, and that you enjoyed the post. Thanks for the comment.

    estrella: Glad you like the definition. It's mine and doesn't have to be anyone else's. We all make our own homes, and our own definitions of 'Home' (and such definitions may change across our lives).

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