There's no place like home

Several years ago I made a very conscious decision to pursue a career in the arts. At first I was not entirely sure what that entailed. As I progressed through my various degree programs I envisioned apartment dwelling and jet setting...transient...constantly on the move from one job to the next.

I may have had a permanent address, but had never envisioned a permanent home.

Today we signed the last bit of paperwork finalizing a bid on a home. A house. Roots in one locale.

Is this what becoming an adult means?

So many of my colleagues live the transient life....fluttering from one gig to another. One city to the next. Spreading their network far and wide. They always seem to have a place to rest, but never a place to truly roost. I expected to be one of those people.

But amid the chaos and the crash of our economy and our housing market, I managed to buckle down and press forward. I am well aware that the success I enjoy today...the job I hold, the house we were able to find...is largely due to the misfortunes of others. Layoffs, cutbacks and merges created the job I now hold. Foreclosures, a sluggish market and low rates afford us the ability to even consider purchasing a house.

What price have I paid for such good fortune in the face of other's misfortune? I truly do not know, and quite frankly it terrifies me to speculate on that. But I do know that for one reason or another, I am truly blessed.

There's no place like home...