December Moon

This is a December Moon - just not this December.  I took this two years ago when we still lived in Maine.  I walked down the street to look over the Piscataqua River and found the full moon rising over the snow. When I saw the weather reports of the anticipated snowstorm that Maine is slated to get, I remembered this shot and wanted to share it.  Maine is one of those places that I appreciate more in retrospect than I did while there.  I have a habit of getting so caught up in the day-to-day that sometimes I forget to just BE.  There were a lot of struggles while we were in Maine - some personal, some geographical and some were kid-related; and I think that if you'd asked me in the middle of our time there if I liked it, I would have hesitated a moment and then said yes.  But I don't know if it would have been a yes with an exclamation point.  Sometimes as a Navy spouse when you move into a community, you're welcomed as a part of the community with open arms.  And in this sense, I mean the civilian community - not the military community inherent with every base.  In other places, people can be more guarded and introverted, and perhaps unsure where these military spouses will fit in.  This can make it difficult as you try to assimilate yourself and your family into the church, school, scout, sports and civic groups that make up a town.  Because of our frequent moves and short term stays in some duty stations, spouses don't always find employment and therefore many choose to volunteer - in their schools, churches, scout groups, sports teams etc.  I did all of those things, but found it hard to break through from being a volunteer to becoming a valued community member. I missed girlfriends. 

In my second year there, I became close friends with a group of 5 other military spouses and that changed things.  We called each other often, celebrated each other's birthdays and shared wine on many occasions. We formed a book group, and began to host holiday parties, but that never really extended to the greater world around us.  John and I found a bistro that we loved and haunted often, but we always knew that we were on the periphery.  There were several couples that we'd have dinner with occasionally, and John's coworkers were wonderful and welcomed us as family - but outside of that, we felt a little isolated on our island. 

We've been away from Maine for more than a year and a half, and I find that I miss the rocky shoreline, the lighthouses, the quiet blanket of a new snowfall, the tidal pools, the sky and the signs for snowmobile crossing.  I miss our church, and the lacrosse team that our son played for and the elementary school that our younger son attended.  I miss the lobster boats bobbing along Kittery Point, and I miss the funny house we lived in that the remnants of a 1920's speakeasy in the basement.

It's actually a good feeling to miss Maine - to have come to terms with some of the things that were difficult there, and to acknowledge my part in them. To recognize that some communities may need more time to figure out where newcomers fit in than others do.  Perhaps I will remember that, and think about what I'll do differently when we next move - or when someone new moves into my world.  There aren't any real do-overs in life, not really.  There's just the knowledge that you take with you and apply to your next adventure.  And there's the hope that you'll do better.

Comments

[larahurley]

I think this was one of your posts? REmember the pic, beautiful. thanks for the words.

oh, and how do you change your heading, so quickly, like you really know what in the heck you are doing! DANG!

[larahurley]

Saw a photo in the sports section (HS playoffs you know?) and it was of a Pflugerville Panther, big P on his helmet, PANTHERS across his chest. Wonder if it was Tim or Smash or Matt?