Just Geography

Since I came from a Navy town, most of my friends married sailors like I did. Many of their husbands stayed in and that meant they were forced to move every few years. With every move, I would get a phone call with them complaining about their new location. I had a standard canned answer. "Where you live is just geography, you just have to get out and find things to do." I don't think I believe that anymore. Is where we live just a location on a map, or does it contribute to who we are or who we will grow into? Much of my social circle is centered around my church, but in San Diego and Bremerton, WA, where religion is not so predominate, I barely warmed the pew. Is the change because of my life stage, or my age? Or is it partly because I live in suburban Oklahoma where most people find their social bookings in the church bulletin? A couple of weeks ago my husband and I were talking and he said off-handed "We should just move to where people think like us." (we were talking about the crap he has to hear at work about his different political ideals). He meant the comment to be in passing, but it has been resonating in my mind ever since. How would our lives be different if we had just gone back to Washington state or stayed in California nine years ago? I don't have an answer, and may never have one, but I could always go home.