Last night I watched the movie, Blinded by the Light, which tells the story of how a young teen with Pakastani roots in Luton, England in the late 80's finds himself via Bruce Springsteen's music. It is a terrific and uplifting coming of age story that gives us a glimpse of what it is like to live with immigrant parents in a working class town with a dream. I loved it--it's a perfect movie for the times we're living in when it comes to standing up for what you believe in and what is right and good for yourself and others.
I am also watching Top of the Lake, a detective story which takes place in the a remote, beautiful mountainous town in New Zealand. As the mystery evolves, we learn about this small rural town's people, land, waterways, and history.
Both stories, though dissimilar in many ways, do give us an intimate look at unique places in the world, and demonstrate how place and person intersect in multiple ways. These shows made me think last night about my hometown and the place that I live in today.
I am deeply rooted in the place where I grew up. My large, extended family has lived in and around that working class city since the mid 1800's when they arrived from Ireland and Eastern Europe. As a child, I felt very comfortable in almost every nook and cranny of the city. Starting at a young age, I used the bus system to get around the city. Plus, my mom was always taking us on trips to visit our relatives throughout the city and the surrounding towns. I had a detailed map of the city in my mind from early on. Still today, I visit the city often to see family members or visit a special museum, bakery, restaurant, park, or store. And I belong to a Facebook group that shares our city's history and stories, and have read historic accounts of people who grew up in the city and their experiences. So many who lived in my hometown have fond memories of their lives there.
Now, for almost twice as long as I lived in my hometown, I live in my children's hometown, yet even though I've lived here for a very long time, I've yet to truly call it home. Because of my work as an educator in a nearby small town, my children attended school there, and also because of my work, I stayed quite devoted to the small town where I worked since that profited both the children I taught and my own children. I didn't learn as much about the town I live in or get as involved. My neighbors who were involved kept me up to date, and I also have enjoyed the wonderful services the town I live in offers--there's definitely a sense of pride in the town where I live amongst the service workers who help to make this a very comfortable and good place to live.
Now retired, I have a thirst for getting to know the town where I live. I want to understand it more and understand its history. What I know now is that I do have some roots here. My grandmother worked in this town for many years in her late teens and early twenties. She would take the train daily from my hometown, a relatively small city, to this town to work at a big company. She was very proud of her work and success here. Also, where I live now, was home to one of the region's first big and popular shopping centers. My family would visit there once or twice a year to see the holiday decorations. At one of my birthdays, my mom took my friends and me to see the film, My Fair Lady, at the cinema at that shopping mall. She bought me a charm bracelet and we had lemon drops during the film. That was a grand outing for all of us at the time.
What do I want to understand about this town where I live? I want to understand its history, neighborhoods, and the wonderful diversity that exists here. I also want to notice more the architecture and public institutions--there's a great college here as well as museums and historic buildings. There are beautiful natural spaces as well, some well cared for and others in need of conservation efforts. I always thought I would move from this place in my later years, but lately, I've become more curious about the place where I live--the place that is my hometown now. I wonder where this journey will take me.