Brooklynne & I are making preparations for her impending graduation in May. Anyone who has done this before knows that it can be a difficult process. However, it has given us the opportunity to see Boston again with fresh eyes. We have been upset by the cost of living, job market, relative unfriendliness of the citizens, living with no car, the healthcare system as a whole, & innumerable other little things. It was easy for us to be bogged down by all that negative energy for a year or so. Now that the end is in sight, we find ourselves making it a point to focus on the good things about Boston & resolving to take those memories with us when we go. So here is my top ten list, in no particular order, of things I will miss about Boston.
1. Our house church-
Love, love, love these people & they have made the last year much more bearable than the first one was.
2. The historical places you pass almost every other second-
You simply can’t walk 150 yards in Boston without passing another place of historical significance.
3. The skyline-
In my opinion, one of the best ever.
4. My current job-
Hands down, the most fun & emotionally & spiritually rewarding job I’ve ever had.
5. Darion & Jenny-
We met them when we were both young struggling couples in the North End. Our dogs are best friends, & they are just excellent, fun, giving, & lovely people.
6. The crazy people you encounter daily on the subway-
I think that the MBTA has an “at least one wild person per car” rule that seems to be strictly enforced. As an avid people watcher, I appreciate this policy.
7. The snow-
I know my wife won’t like this one, but I, for one, have enjoyed having a proper winter for at least a couple of years.
8. Walking with my wife through the city-
This is a good thing that has come from us not having cars for the past two years. We have to walk together a lot more & there’s no radio to get in the way of good old fashioned conversation.
9. The community of East Boston-
This is an amazing neighborhood, & if you’re moving up to Boston I’d highly recommend it to you. They are very well connected with one another & they step up to meet one another’s needs.
10. All the bad things I mentioned earlier-
Yeah, I know, they really are bad things. I guess it’s not so much the things themselves that I like. It’s the results of these things on our marriage. I can honestly say now that my wife & I have gone through Hell & high water this past couple of years. The result has been a daily confirmation that I married the most amazing woman in the world. No matter what kind of poo-poo we have or might encounter, my confidence in our relationship & love will not be shaken.
