Finding one's place

I have always gone to where jobs took me. I never moved to an area without a job. That has led to my residing in some places that were less than ideal. But that's where the jobs were, so that's where I moved. It seemed to be the responsible thing to do.

Some folks say they put greater importance on where they live and make employment secondary in their decision-making process. Because of their attachment to a place, they find ways to make it work financially. They find jobs, affordable housing, etc. And if they don't, they eat out of tuna cans and do what they have to in order to survive until they get on their feet. Many Californians will not move away despite raging fires and record-unemployment rates. They stay because they are in harmony with their surroundings.

The most fortunate of people have jobs where they work from home. They can live anywhere as long as they have a high-speed Internet connection. I know three people in this situation. All three are quite content. All three live in very different areas of the country.

I've known people who made a bundle on selling their homes during the real estate boom and rode off into the sunset to live where they felt more in balance. Or they received an inheritance which allowed them the freedom to roam around until they found that special place to settle down. Folks take different paths to finding their place.

We all have places that feel right, whether it's the desert, the mountains or along the coast. Some put a priority on being near family and friends more than on geography or culture. Sometimes we're conflicted. Our friends and family live in the country, but our hearts are in the city. I have known people who have moved to Florida for the warmth and for health reasons, but have had to return north because they couldn't stand not seeing their grandchildren grow up.

Life is short, and if one has a strong connection to a particular area on the globe for any reason, it almost seems sinful not to live there, at least for a period of time. Maybe it won't be ideal, and maybe you will move back, but I think there is value in trying. I did that in moving to Florida in the 1980s.

As I ponder life in an ever-changing Northern Virginia, I am beginning to feel out of place here. That could be in part from not having a job to go to each day. Jobs do help connect you to an area. But the culture of Northern Virginia is also changing rapidly. I don't recognize my neighbors because this is such a transient section of the country. I don't recognize languages. I don't recognize the ever-changing landscape because of massive development.

Perhaps a rewarding job would help me regain my footing here. However, that isn't happening. Job interviews have been few and far between. I am living in an area that feels less like home, without the rewards of a paycheck. And it takes a significant paycheck to live here, as I mentioned in an earlier post. When you reach a certain stage in life, any old job often won't suffice, not in an area like the D.C. suburbs.

The question I am pondering: Is it time to roll the dice and to move to an area, even without a job, that has other qualities about it that would make it feel more in sync with my values, desires and dwindling bank account? The more I sit here without a good job, without the friends and energy that often comes from employment, the more it seems like a mistake to stay much longer. I've had a good ride in Virgina. Went to college here in the 70s. Worked at USA Today, which I thought was a stable employer. But, as George Harrison sang, "All things must pass..." In this recession, those words are more true than ever.