Kelly and I just settled into our new home down in Kingsville, Tx after our move from Enid, OK. Along the way we had the opportunity to spend about a week in our hometown of Franklin, Tn. I do believe that in all of the world there is nothing better than coming home.
In J.R.R. Tolkien's novel series The Lord of the Rings much is made about the Shire, the home of Frodo and all of the other Hobbits. The Shire is described as a safe place, a warm friendly environment where the community cares for itself. It changes little over time and remains constant in its atmosphere. It is for the safety of this sacred place that Frodo realizes he must leave it in order to preserve it.
Franklin is the Shire for Kelly and me. There are few other places where we truly feel safe and protected. There is truly a sense that nothing of remotely terrible consequence could or would happen to us there.
When you live a life that is dedicated to training in the art of making and waging war it is so comforting to come home to a place that (at least in recent history) has no idea of what war is. To a place where the community can enjoy evenings in a Pub, coffee on the corner discussing Chesterton, or shopping in one of the most affluent areas in the Nation.
Perhaps this why we left in the first place. Sometimes you have to truly understand how much you love a place, a person, or a principle before you are willing to fight to preserve it.
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