“Bloom where you are planted.” I don’t know where I heard this, but I like it. Well, most days I like it. Marni and I moved nearly two years ago with great speed. We were asked, we felt like we were given a “sign” in a place to live, and off we went. Many can look at the view we have off our back patio and say, “Looks like it all worked out.” (Taken with my own phone by the way!)
This was, this is, this has been a hard move. Just because a truck shows up and unloads all your goods — doesn’t mean you have not left a cargo full of emotions and memories back at the old zip code. It’s only now, at nearly the 2-year mark, that we are realizing what we left behind.
10 years in one place… one home… one neighborhood – we moved, but our roots are still in two places. You know, grieving in usually found in the little things, at least that is what I think. We are grieving Jalapeno’s, CMR Little League, TATY, friends, the RB Inn, the local Starbucks with the usual people, Ralph’s, Christmas Tree hunting in 75 degrees, our decade of labor at our home on display daily, the sound of golf carts whizzing by, Hudson’s buddies, Charlie’s buddies, Friday Flag, and just this last one that is big: memories.
It’s just hard.
Do we love where we live? Yes. Are we finding new friends, new traditions, and new memories? Of course. But, our roots are not in two places. They are with us, and they are also back in San Diego.
We will bloom where we are planted. It’s what we do. I am just telling you that it is hard. Happy 10th to our friend Hudsie Bradvica… Charlie commented on YOU and how much you mean to him.
What about you… you have roots in two places? Do you find you are needing to “bloom where you are planted?”
It’s all good… but as I think about today… I am reminded that we are working really hard at blooming… some days are harder than others.
Warmest to you, Eric
ericscofield 
Thanks for your thoughts. Love you buddy. We had a great week with Ben last week in Reno.
Just helped them get “out of their Portland house”……😂
They’re gone…….. on to Nashville to fully bloom there.
Hugs.
Doug and Katy
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Love you Doug! You are a great encouragement to many. I am one!
Wow…. That’s an awesome blog post!!
I love it. Very accurate…
Well done, love!!
Sent from my iPhone
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Encouragements from my wife… thank you.
I’ve been amazed at how something significant (like a move) can happen, yet it doesn’t really hit you until months and even years later how significant it was. I think that we survive on the adrenalin rush of just getting the next thing done- office, select ball, school, new relationships, etc. You turn around one day and boom, it hits you. Good reflection. See you soon. Call me if you come through Houston.
Well said, my man. After 7 moves to follow the call, it doesn’t get any easier. Yet, there is that strong belief and life choice that God knows what is best for me. To learn to trust in that fact has been the key to my life. Boy, I still miss my friends that I left in Kansas City 35 years ago. Plan to travel back there next month to laugh together. Some blooms are better than others.
We have been in San Diego 10 years and I still have those feelings and memories when I hit Houston for a few days.
I think there is a time in your life when you make your life long friends. When your kids are little, when you’re in Sunday school and the girls are pregnant together.
We’ve bloomed and love where we are, but I get it.
Thanks Eric!
We keep TRYING to root, but God seems to have had other plans each time. 3-5 years and always finding ourselves packing again…decisions to move were sometime by choice/call, sometime by circumstance/timing, sometimes by demand (military), and sometimes by pain. 19 years of marriage and 7 new places to call ‘home.’ The challenge comes in trusting that in treating each new place like you plan to live there for 20 years, you may actually feel rooted enough in a short time to make the departure difficult when it comes. The hard part is that you both WANT it to be difficult to move again and DON’T want it to hurt. I keep choosing the hurt, because it means I rooted…at least for a while.
Living, however, in yet another new place for only 3 years, I wonder–will I ever have a PLACE that will feel like my true roots, my true home? Is THIS it? Or was ALL of it IT? By finding a way to keep my roots deep in Him, and the family He called me to love, I will feel rooted everywhere, even if I don’t know the name of my new barista…
Great thoughts Eric! I have only moved once, but I remember it being one of the hardest years of my life. Thanks for the reminder of how difficult it can be to say goodbye to home and embrace all that he has for us.