When I reflect on the 'happiest' times in my life I associate them with where I was living at the time. I have moved many times throughout my life and each move brought me so many new things like new friends, colleagues, apartments, cities, and just general environments. Each move was pretty exciting because I was moving for a reason, for a new job or position. So, I didn't just move for no reason but rather to live and work in a new city.
Today, in looking forward I no longer have the prospect of a new job or 'thing' to go to, but rather am considering what my options are that will make me feel like I am moving forward. There are some cold hard truths that I have to face in the midst of this sort of decision. Things like cost of moving, what I would gain and give up, and whether it truly makes monetary sense to do it.
Of all the places I have lived, my hometown couldn't really be called my favorite. Bowling Green, Kentucky is a really nice town. There is very little wrong with it and everything is so convenient and inexpensive, for the most part. It holds many dear friends who I have known all of my life and I have my network of doctors, lawyers, accountants, and other necessary services that make life easier and more dependable. Bowling Green works. It just does. It has good roads, there isn't much crime and it has big industry, a very nice university and good public schools all around. It has an active theater landscape and people are genuinely nice here. So, while I can't say Bowling Green is my favorite, it has to have one of the highest standards of living of any place I have ever lived, and that is saying something. Plus, we're close to Nashville, which is now on track to becoming the next Atlanta. It is blowing up. So, I have a major city in my backyard as well.
But, there are things about living here that bother me and not because of anything Bowling Green is, but rather, because I like to be around certain things that just don't and never will exist here. I'm not dissing Bowling Green because of it, it just isn't what exists here.
The major moves in my life that I felt a distinct lift in my personal feeling were when I moved to Rochester, NY, well, the Eastman School of Music which was sort of a city all its own. Becoming a part of something as big and impactful like that certainly changed my life perspective.
Obviously, moving from Rochester, New York to Zürich, Switzerland and the Zürich Opera House was a huge step. Not only was the city much larger than anywhere I had lived but the scale of everything went way up, including the cost of living. Moving to Zürich was intoxicating. Such an amazing city and the Opera House is a diamond with some of the greatest musicians and singers anywhere. Set in the middle of that beautiful country, Zürich is simply incredible.
When I moved from Zürich to Bremerhaven I experienced culture shock really for the first time. Bremerhaven was tiny in comparison to Zürich and Rochester. But, I was starting my career at the theater there and it was exciting to be in a German town, a theater with a full time ensemble, and living next to the North Sea also helped a lot. Water is always good.
I have to say that moving to Bonn really lifted my spirits a lot. Bonn lies beautifully on the Rhein and I had always dreamt of working in that theater and when I actually got the opportunity it was probably the most happy I've ever been. I was fortunate to have hit my stride as a singer there which also helped my feelings towards it, but I found everything about the place to appeal to me. I really loved living there, everything about it. Great people, great theater, great city, well connected infrastructure yet not too big.
So, now, after having helped my parents pass from this earth I face the prospect of the future of retirement and where I will feel as if I am moving forward in a compelling and exciting direction. So, are the things I deem important for my next home really important, or should I just be satisfied with my luxurious existence in Bowling Green?
Here is a list of things I would like my new home to have:
- A city of size with good infrastructure.
- A compelling body of water should be involved.
- A cultural offering of international impact.
- A high level of citizenry. Universities, hospitals, and theaters.
- No riff raff. I have nothing against riff raff, I just don't want to live around it.
- My home has to be adequate, basically a balcony, garage, storage, and adequate space for guests.
- I have to feel like the people love individual freedoms and that people have a sense of responsibility to the freedom and security of their neighbors.
- I want diversity around me, not just everyone looking like me or coming from where I come from.
Obviously, there are places which peak my interest. Here is a spontaneous list of possibilities. I am not accounting for cost of living, which will probably eliminate some of these.
- Seattle area
- San Diego area
America has become a bit too mean for me these days. I'm not sure I want to live here anymore. America should be an open and welcoming place, not a mean and cold place where they arrest people just because...It is disturbing and I don't want to be a part of that. Either America returns to itself or it is lost to me.
- Germany
- Düsseldorf
- Mainz
- Koblenz
- Frankfurt
- Mannheim
- Black Forest
- Bodensee
- Saarbrücken to Trier area
- Lübeck
- Bremen
- Switzerland
- Zürich
- Luzern
- Bern
- Lausanne
- Anywhere really near water.
- Netherlands
- The Hague
- Or nearby close to the coast
- The Hague
- Belgium
- Ghent
- Antwerpen
- Liege
- France
- Countryside near a major city and body of water
There are so many wonderful places to live. But, I have to say that when I consider the real possibilities the list gets rather small, fast.
The reality is that sometimes when I am driving around Bowling Green I get this overwhelming thought, "Why am I here?" Nothing about this place represents what my life was spent doing. It is literally light years away from my experience. In some ways, I feel more foreign here than anywhere I've ever lived.
Life has changed for me though. I will no longer be moving to a city where I will be 'somebody'. I will be a 'nobody'. I don't think that will matter much but it is a factor somehow. I'll have to put together my people. I'll have to create a life and who is to say that anyone would want me in their town?
So, as much as environment plays a role in happiness, there are many other factors as well.