Sunday, November 06, 2005

Longing for my home

Last night Dean and Rhiannon and I went to see a Gary Fjellgaard and Valdy concert up at OC (Okanagan College for the uninitiated) lecture theater. Dean had got the tickets for free because of his article that he did for the paper. We were right in the front row which wouldn't have been my first choice but it turned out to be an excellent place to sit - especially as I could stretch my legs out (and Laura knows how I get when I can't...). It was a really wonderful show. They were great entertainers - telling the stories that went with the songs and joking around. The music was soothing and the accoustics were perfect. I loved it. I love live music (especially live music that doesn't burst your ear drums).

As they sang all these songs of small towns and communities, I longed for my home - the place I consider my home town - Terrace. I am sure it doesn't help that Drew and I are reading a novel set in Haida Gwaii that describes the scenery up there in lush detail. After all these years, my heart aches for that place. It was so incredibly beautiful - the energy of nature was stronger than the energy of man (if that makes sense). It was still so wild and natural. I long to be there. Truly, if I could, I would move back in a second. My teen age years in Terrace were a gift. I had great teachers, good friends, good community. Some day I will return, I think. Whenever I go back up there (which hasn't been often - only three times since I left when I was 16 and one of those was for my grad) it is always hard to leave. I want to stay. It still feels like home to me. And none of my kids have ever seen it. I want to take them all to my 25 year grad reunion in 2008. Of course none of my friends (close ones, anyway) live there any more but I still love the place and the feeling of the community there. I think it was a good place for Doug too. He probably suffered more than me because he had to spend both grade 11 and 12 away from there. He had such good friends and we had friends in common. The best time he and I ever had together was there in our Theatre Arts class that we took together and with our mutual friends. We started to like each other then.

Ah nostalgia! This one never goes away for me, it always comes back. I don't miss any place like I miss Terrace.

I am busy making my hats. I make at least 3 a day. I made myself a little catalogue. I'll scan in a picture or two for you later.

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