Bear those ills we have or fly to others that we know not of?

"To be, or not to be, that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep--

No more, and by a sleep to say we end

The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to; 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep--

To sleep, perchance to dream--ay, there's the rub,

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause; there's the respect

That makes calamity of so long life:

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay,

The insolence of office, and the spurns

That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,

When he himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin; who would fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn

No traveller returns, puzzles the will,

And makes us rather bear those ills we have,

Than fly to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all..."

Hamlet, III.i.55-82.

Where are you from, originally? If you could live anywhere in the entire world, where would you live? I've been asking people all week.

As the end of my husband's enlistment in the National Guard approaches, we are faced with many decisions. He will have to change jobs since he works for the Guard and that requires a current enlistment. Since he doesn't really like his job, he needs to switch careers. Since we have equity in our home, we can at last move to a place with some space (instead of neighbors who curse a lot and a 4' deep front yard). So here we are, in a position to move just about anywhere in the world. Where should we go?

As I begin the research involved, I am struck by many thoughts. One is that we could live, literally, anywhere. How blessed we are! As Americans we have freedom like no where else. For my husband and me, with equity in our home and only mortgage debt, we have freedom like many Americans don't even have. With that freedom, of course, comes responsibility, but beyond the responsibility, comes the overwhelmingness of American choice. We have the entire planet to choose from! Even by narrowing down our choices to our own country and deciduous forest biome we still have a huge area, basically everything east of the Mississippi. If we further narrow it to somewhere with snow, and scenic, and affordable, we still have an area to choose from which is larger than all of Europe. Amazing.

The few people I've asked so far seem to select pretty places. One wanted the Bahamas, another thought the Smoky Mountains. Few seemed to take either family or God into consideration.

For us, the factors are climate, family, friends, work, and God (not necessarily in that order). While my family is in Ohio, I have worked hard to make friends in Maryland. Therefore either place is attractive to me. Another key factor, at least for normal people, is work. My husband will need employment, at least for food, utilities, and property taxes, so that will be a factor as well. Finally, as a Christian, God is the biggest factor of all. Where would He have us live? How will we know?

As I explore our options and seek God's will, I am struck by the fact that so many people have the same choices and options as we do (or could if they worked at it), but don't ever move. I don't know the precise statistic, but it's a fairly well known fact that most people never move that far from where they're born (excepting military folks, of course).

But in the end, why do we live where we live? Why Alaska (or for that matter, why not?) or Nepal? or NYC? Or why Millersburg or Topeka? There are people living everywhere on this planet... in heat and cold, in shacks and palaces, in humdrum places and scenic. Obviously, some people are stuck with no resources and no way to free themselves. But why live in a drug zone? Or on a major earthquake fault? Or any other unpleasant environment? So many people do, and not all of them lack the resources to make a change.

Some, obviously, like it where they are. The house in the earthquake fault may have a great view, good schools, and a fantastic job; making the risk worth it. The drug zone may allow someone to live cheaply and spend more time with their aging mother. But are most people happy where they live? Do they even think about it one way or another? Perhaps it's just a non-issue until someone like me comes along and starts asking silly questions about living anywhere in the world. So far, no one's answered, "I'd live just where I am." (Granted, I haven't asked that many yet).

Why do we live where we live? Or work where we work? Or spend our time they way we spend our time? I suspect that in asking where we should live, I'm asking one of those questions that people don't like to think about. (Of course, many people don't like to think so much about anything, let alone the big questions.) Asking where we should live is almost like asking why we live at all. In Hamlet's famous speech about whether or not to keep living, he discovers that while the alternative (death) may be lovely (dreaming), we don't know because we haven't been there, so we keep plugging along here with the ills we have.

Perhaps it's the same with us and where we live. While the alternative (somewhere else) may be lovely, we don't know because we haven't been there so we keep plugging along with the difficulties we're familiar with. Another neighborhood might be better, the climate nicer, the jobs more satisfying and better paying, or then again, they could be worse, so why take the risk and effort of moving?

Or perhaps I'm not asking the right question at all. In the end, does it matter where we live or work or what we do, so long as we do everything according to God's will and for His glory? But how do we know what His will is and what best glorifies Him? Is it self-centered to say I want more closet space, more trees, less foul language, and room for a garden? And doesn't seeking my own comfort make me softer rather than sharper? I know that in seeking the best for my children, comfort and ease will not make them strong adults, and comfort and ease are not likely to make me a strong Christian, either. (But then, larger closets and room for a garden do not necessarily equal comfort and ease...)

Since God ordains all things and works all things for good for those who know Him, what role do I have in deciding where to move? Should I just pick a place and let Him confirm or deny? Will He give us divine guidance (get thee to Erie)?

With all these questions, no wonder people pretty much just stick with what they know! And, no wonder I start with the easy questions... Where are you from originally? Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world? Do you know anyone with a nice place for sale?

Soli deo gloria.
=)