Roots

When we moved out of New Jersey, oh, over a year ago now, I knew there would be a lot of things I wouldn't miss. Like how much EVERYTHING costs. I wouldn't miss the traffic, or compressed vibe caused by too many people in too small an area. I wouldn't miss the overall surly attitude.

But I would miss being rooted in a place. After all, I was born and had lived my whole life in one shore town or another, all within the same county. I may not have liked it there, but I certainly belonged there. My roots went deep. I'd seen fields become neighborhoods and woods become strip malls. I'd seen the little chestnut saplings my father had planted become trees big enough to climb. But here in Maine, I have no roots. Even the way I talk, labels me as an outsider. A simple conversation at the grocery store, is a reminder that I am not from here. I'll never forget the first time someone told me my accent was "cute." Until then, I didn't even know I had an accent. Now, I'm acutely aware of it. Take the word soft. I say it "sawft." A Mainer says it "sahft." Same goes for "cawfee," "dawg" and "fuhget." Oh yeah, and I say things like "you know what I'm saying?" way more often than I should.

Don't get me wrong, I love it here. My only regret about moving here, is that we didn't do it sooner. The beauty is staggering. The people are relaxed and friendlier. It is easier to live here. I love this way of life, with the shifting seasons, my view of mountains and lakes, the quiet. And because I did rip up my roots and plant them someplace else, I know I can do again. I know I can do most anything. Over the years to come, my roots in Maine may never grow to the depth and spread that they were in my home town. I will probably always pronounce potato "pehtatah"– I hope I do, in fact. I'll always be from New Jersey, but leaving changed me–made me healthier, made me younger and older at the same time. I wrote my first book in Maine. And my second. I will become published in Maine. So my point is this: don't be afraid to uproot. Your home town will always be with you, sometimes buried deep inside–sometimes present with every word you speak.