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Jeanne Malmgren's avatar

Oh gosh, Janisse .. first of all, I'm so sorry about Raven and hope he's feeling better soon. And so sorry you're missing the yoga retreat -- but that in itself is such a yogic teaching, I'd imagine. The yielding to impermanence, and practicing non-attachment. And it sounds like you're handling that with grace. Beautiful! Re: place and travel and home, as you know I've recently settled into what I hope will be my last home, near where I was born. We now have the freedom and means to travel anywhere/everywhere, but we've decided to do our journeying here. The journey of getting to know this spot on Earth, and taking care of it. A lot of that inspired by you, by the way. Thank you, with a bow. 🙏🏽

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Deborah Prescott's avatar

I do believe that Tuscany doesn't compare to south Georgia in your eyes. Not long after we moved from the suburbs of Chicago to Southwest Virginia an acquaintance said that as far as he was concerned, this part of Virginia (the highlands of the Blue Ridge Mountains) and Northeast Tennessee were the Tuscany of the South. But then you know how beautiful it can be. My husband has more of the travel bug than I do, and we have a running argument that goes, "We really do live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. (me) "There are other beautiful places . . ." (him) I really have tried (and for the most part succeeded) in living deeply in place. Not that I don't enjoy seeing other places. But I have, in recent years, bowed to the fact that travel - especially by air - isn't all that good for the climate. I have consoled myself knowing that you have abstained from air travel for the same reason. Ironically, on the top of my list, if I were to go anywhere by plane today, it would be Italy. Not to Tuscany, but to Abruzzo and Sicily. What I have learned recently is that the history of Abruzzo has some uncanny resonance with the history of Appalachia. Many of the Italian immigrants to Appalachia came from that part of Italy. It has to do with land and who has the right to determine whether or not people thrive or have the ability to do so taken from them. For me, I would find the opportunity to explore the shared history fascinating. But after living 27 years in Virginia, I have a resonance with this place that I think would be impossible to ever experience anywhere else. For Italy to resonate with me in the same way as the place I call home does, would take a long time. So I think I would experience Italy with some sadness and, perhaps, a bit of longing. I would know that I could never know it fully and it would pale in comparison to what I already "have." Which I guess is just another way of clicking those ruby-colored heels and saying "There's no place like home. There's no place like home." But there really is no place like home.

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