Where Would You Live?

Back when I sat with my Mom in her last days, I had a lot of time to think. Now four months later, I realize that losing Mom was a lot like getting hit by a meteor in slow motion. The thinking I did then—an assessment of what's really important and what's not in my life—is still making deep but quiet inroads in my heart.

Part of my assessing has to do with where we live. Don't get me wrong, I love the Upper Valley, Vermont in particular. But I'm not crazy about America, haven't been for a long time. If it was more like Vermont, I think that would be terrific. But it's not and never will be. In fact, I think we're spinning in some frightening directions.

My friend Micky lost her Mom about a year before me so this is something we share, that being hit by a meteor thing. This morning, we got an unexpected opportunity to have breakfast together and talk.

Micky has traveled widely in her lifetime, usually for work though she and her husband have vacationed in some interesting places. And she's lived in several different countries. I am quite the homebody by comparison.

So I took the opportunity to see the world from Micky's perspective this morning. Where would you live if you could live anywhere, I asked.

Europe was her first and immediate answer. My first choice has always been the U.K. But then, I watch a lot of BBC stuff which probably colors my view.

But, Micky said, it's not reasonable to go there. It's very expensive, she says, and while Europeans like our tourist dollars, they don't want us as permanent residents, taking up space in their health care system when ours won't take care of us.

Can't say I blame them. Why should anyone else pay for American stupidity?

Same with Canada, my second choice. Micky's too.

South America?

Living expenses and medical care are far more reasonable. Americans are welcome to live there and many are.

But South American governments can be very unstable.

So I'm sitting here shaking my head. Do you suppose Dorothy was right? There's no place like home?

[Insert the sound of a loud sigh here.]