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Health & Fitness

A New Gig Harborian

So, exactly how long does it take before you consider yourself as being from the place you currently live?

Now, for those of you that have lived in one place your whole life, I am sure that sounds like a ridiculous question; but, for those of us who have moved around much of our lives, well, it is a quandary.

Me, personally, I have always struggled with the question, “Where are you from?” When asked that by other Gig Harborians, I take the question to mean, “You are obviously not from here, so where did you come from before moving here?”  When traveling about on business and pleasure, the question usually means, “Where do you live now.”  But, that question could possibly mean, “where were you born” or “where did you grow up”.  For me, the answer to each of those interpretations of the question is different.  I was born in Baltimore, MD; I did most of my growing up in Dayton, OH; I lived in New Jersey outside of New York City before moving here; and, I now live in Gig Harbor.  You can also throw in stops at Chicago, IL; Charleston, WV; and Richmond, VA.   If the question means, “well, where does your family live”, the answer is Atlanta, GA – a place that I have never lived myself.  So … where am I from?  My smart-alecky answer to that question is, “I am from a nomadic tribe.”

Funny enough, with each new location I have moved to, it never takes long to feel like I am returning “home” when coming back from a trip, but it takes a rather long time to feel like it is the place I am from when travelling away from home.  So, I continue to struggle with that, “where are you from” question.

It has been five years now since we moved to Gig Harbor (from New Jersey).  Our nine year old son has lived over half his life here now – so he identifies Gig Harbor as his home town.  My wife has become a superstar with her catering of the Teacher Appreciation lunches and dinners at Harbor Heights Elementary School and she is an active member in our neighborhood Home Association Group.  Spencer and I have been active in the Gig Harbor Y Adventure Guides for years.  I have logged hundreds of miles walking around Gig Harbor rain or shine.  I have become active in one of the three Gig Harbor Rotary Clubs and am this year’s co-chair for the annual Harbor Hounds Charity Dog Walk.  I have participated in several Park Appreciation Day clean ups and have walked in several of the Gig Harbor Maritime Parades.  I am a regular at the Y Volleyball nights on Mondays and Wednesdays.  My family and I have frequented almost every eating establishment in the area and most of them more than just a few times.  But, it wasn’t until just the other day that I felt like I was a Gig Harborian (or, is that Gig Harboran?).

It really is a simple matter, but it matters.  The other day, on a nice sunny weekday, while walking my dog into the Harbor – I was stopped no less than five times by people who said, “Hello”.  But, they did not just say “hello” to some guy walking his cute puppy, they said “hello” to me because they knew me.  Someone from Rotary; someone from the Y; someone from Adventure Guides; someone I met previously walking our dogs; and, a young lady that has waited on me several times at a local smoothie store.  They all smiled, greeted me by name and talked with me for a few minutes.  It was then, at that moment, that I became “from” Gig Harbor.

Now, when on the road, I will not hesitate from answering the question, “where are you from”.  Gig Harbor, you may not yet claim me as being one of yours, but you are definitely home to me – thanks to all the friends I have made in such a short time here.  After all, you don’t become a part of the place you are from; you become one of the people who are from there.

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