In a few short weeks I’ll be moving out of the City of Syracuse and into my new home in the Village of Fayetteville.  I know, I know, “village” is a funny word.  Makes me think of 18th century England. But it is a type of municipality in the state of New York (Villages, Towns, Cities).  While I’m really excited for our new home, I’m also feeling a bit nostalgic for the house, neighborhood, and city I’ve called home for the last six years (even though I’m only moving 15 minutes away!)  I love Syracuse.  It’s a classic post-industrial small-city with all the grit and grime that comes with it.  All of that grit was certainly jarring to me when I first moved here, having lived in several well-off college towns before.  But, it was also exciting and new.  And while it isn’t perfect, there is a lot I love about my neighborhood.  It has such a great mix of people: grad students, professors, young professionals, families, older couples who have lived here for decades, immigrant families from taiwan, china, eastern europe, somalia, to name a few.  It’s quiet, but close to downtown and the universities. 

While we’re technically moving to the suburbs, we’re actually moving to a place that has been around for over 200 years.  It is more walkable than our current neighborhood, with shops and restaurants down the street from our new home.  It is closer to my husband’s job.  And there’s a lot more outdoor recreation within a five-minute walk including two parks, a trout stream, and a bicycle trail that connects to the Erie Canal Trail; plus Green Lakes State Park is a five-minute drive away. 

I don’t think I’ll have any trouble loving my new home as much as my current one.  But I still plan to stay involved in Syracuse and hope to be active in making it the awesome place that it is.

Last fall I went to the Mayors Conference of NY held here in Syracuse, and I saw Peter Kageyama speak.  He gave a talk similar to the one in the Ted Talk below, where he talks about the importance of having a strong bond with where we live, and how to create that.  I think a lot of what he says doesn’t just apply to cities, and it’s worth watching if you’re looking for motivation to improve your community.  He also wrote a book on the subject.

 

Photo by Patrick Cline*

I was lucky enough to see the Dalai Lama speak last fall for my birthday.  I wouldn’t say it was a life-changing experience, but it is certainly something I would recommend to anyone if they had the chance.  He is a very wise and inspirational man. 

The Dalai Lama’s 18 Rules for Living

Take into account that great love & great achievements involve great risk.

When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

Follow the three Rs: -Respect for self -Respect for others -Responsibility for all your actions.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

When you realize you have made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Spend some time alone every day.

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older & think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

Be gentle with the earth.

Once a year, go someplace you have never been before.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

 

*PS. I LOVE this photo, and my attempt to properly source it led me down a funny path, and while I love Pinterest, this seems to be an inevitable problem with it.  Here’s where it comes from (I think):

1. My friend posted it on Pinterest & I repinned to my Adventure Board.
2. Clicking didn’t bring me to the source page, so I read an article about how to find the original source of Pins.
3. I followed the instructions, and clicked on the oldest source they offered, here.
4. The blog post had the photo above, without the text, and says it was taken by photographer Patrick Cline.