The View From There

My friend Nancy sent me this picture today. It's the view of Dragon's Back Ridge that she sees every day as she looks out the window of her home in Hong Kong.

Nancy and her husband David, Canadians by birth and by allegiance, are the most well-traveled people we know. We met them in New York, where we landed several years ago -- in a daze and with a new job, an 18-month-old, and nary a friend around.

Nancy, herself along with David a recent transplant from Baltimore (and from Toronto, Africa, and Alberta before that), struck up a conversation with Nick when they were both at toddler tumble time at our local Rec Center one snowy day. From that point on, Nancy's family pretty much adopted our family and made our time in New York a lot less scary and lonely than it could have been.

We only lasted a couple of years there, but we'll always remember that time in our lives fondly -- mostly because of the wonderful friends we made. (In addition to Nancy and David, there's Ellen and Ted, Scott and Sharon, Karen and Chris, and Kitty and Ed -- hey guys!)

Nancy, David, and their two sons have moved a few times since then -- first to London, then to New Jersey, and most recently to Hong Kong -- following David's fast-track career. I know it can't be easy to make a new home in an unfamiliar place every couple of years, but I envy their adventurous spirit and the amazing gift they're giving their children: the chance to see the world firsthand and to experience other cultures closeup.

Still, Hong Kong seems awfully far away -- so far that it's unlikely we'll see them for a few years. But getting this picture from Nancy today helped bridge those miles a little bit, and reminded us that "home" is wherever you make it and that true friends are those you hold dear, no matter how far away they may be.

Nancy, David, Kevin, and Brennan -- we miss you!