The Goodrums

I wrote the below message on the way home from work on my last day in Boston. My feelings have changed since then; I am not as sad now. I still miss Boston and am fondly reminded of it at different times, but now we are glad to be here. I think the weather helped; we were just glad to actually make it with all the ice and snow and flooding everywhere. We are also excited about the house; taking care of the last things before closing and looking forward to having a place of our own again. We already have our growing list of projects and things we are looking forward to doing once we move in. So enjoy the ruminating below and we will keep you updated as the house moves along.

I am pulling out of South Station for the last time today. I am sad. I didn’t really expect this back in early/mid October when I accepted a job with NORESCO. Back then, we were moving to Denver. Yes, there would be three months in Boston and I had always wanted to live for some short period of time in a big city like New York or Boston or something. It would be one of those cool things to do and say you did in your life; one of those things that are dreamed of in movies and stuff. But that was all; it would be really cool and fascinating and then you would say, “that was fun,” and go on excitedly to Denver (kind of like Thanksgiving dinner because you know all those pies are waiting). Three months later I don’t feel like I expected to. Right now I am more sad about leaving Boston than I am excited about living in Denver. During the last three months, Jennifer and I proceeded to fall in love with Boston. To her credit, I think Jennifer suspected this from the start. She knew she would like it and thrive on the city. People even told us we would like Boston and not want to leave. Still, I think we are both caught a little off-guard by how sad we are to leave. We have been blessed; God has been good.

Part of it is the city. There is something great about cities, especially at night; or on a certain unusually warm day in the beginning of January. They have a certain life, a certain pulse to them; almost an excitement at times. Now, smaller places, such as Amarillo, have a charm and appeal all their own; but in a very different manner. Out there you enjoy the open space, you enjoy the landscape, you enjoy the freedom, and perhaps the ease of relationships. So what does the city have? The city has people. Everywhere. All kinds. And that’s what makes it great. In the city you enjoy people, you enjoy activity, you enjoy relationship (not necessarily one on one, but to society), you enjoy possibilities. Now, the city is not a perfect place, it has its drawbacks, but that is true of the smaller places too. God created both. Both are different, but both are good. And we are glad to have been able to take part in the city.

So I am saddened but I am thankful, and I am just going to let it soak in and as odd as it sounds, enjoy the sadness.

In the next post, I will, as Jennifer alluded to, include a list of Boston places. I originally compiled this list for a fellow Ag in Denver who is planning to visit Boston and wanted the “local” perspective. I’m not really a local, but we did take local suggestions on most of these places. So, for those of you planning (or hoping) to visit Boston someday, you may use the list I’ve come up with as a starting point if you like. And if you are planning (or hoping) to visit Denver someday, then call us because we’d love to see you.