All that was our furnishings and trappings of our homelife
Were carefully packed and listed into sixty packing boxes
It was a busy time with engagements about a future house
Hopeful imagining was all that could be envisaged back then
Realisation arrived on the morning of moving and departure day
A huge container truck gradually packed away, all that we owned
This was the moment when this planned change became reality
We then flew from what had been our birth town into an unknown
Across the Irish Sea and arriving at a new address, as the strangers
Unpacked and settled into the surroundings we made into a home
Along the way we have met with curious enquiry about our accents
An unnerving inquisition as we find ourselves between two lands
Away from years of civil unrest and a possible lifetime of uncertainty
At times we reflect on how that decision has directed life’s choices
Those journeys taken to explore other destinations and continents
Revisiting hometown wasn’t the same without familial connections
There are major differences between having a house and a home
Home is most definitely where the love and warmth of family lingers
Family gatherings are with an open invitation to the heart of our hearth...
Eileen T O’Neill 2/11/2023
That must have been a very big leap indeed, and one that requires courage. I made one such leap myself. So glad it worked out so well for you.
ReplyDelete"Hopeful imagining was all that could be envisaged back then"--o, yes! No matter how many pictures you see, the reality doesn't set in until the truck pulls away! You've captured the in between-ness of the time--and to move to another shore must have been very brave.
ReplyDeleteI did a similar trip from Germany to Navan and then Kells in County Meath and then to London. I've put down roots in Norfolk, which suits me very well. :)
ReplyDeleteI can imagine how much thought went into this major move. So much to arrange, so much to pack and unpack, leaving all that was familiar. You are right, there is so much difference between having a house and having a home. It sounds as if you have settled in well though and the 'unknown' has become 'known.' So glad to see you here today!
ReplyDeleteTo be decisive makes all the difference. It's good that you moved and the unknown future became a comfortable space. You've captured the two phase so well.
ReplyDelete