Loyalty & Place
The Last Move I Ever Made
I despise moving and wince whenever I think how many times I’ve done in my adult life. The good news is that I’m done with all that, God-willing. Two weeks ago I made what I hope will be the final move of my life. And it was a coup: I moved to a superior house in the same neighborhood as some of my closest friends, including one of my very closest next door. Blessed are those who live in the same city as their friends, their family, their people—and even more blessed are those who live on the same street. So this move was a good one which genuinely increases my chances at flourishing, and now it’s officially time to stop moving and get to the business of establishing roots.
It gets me thinking about moral and spiritual implications: the virtues made possible by rootedness and the personal flimsiness and vulnerability cultivated by transience. The particular virtue of interest is loyalty. Commitment to place is a crucial element of loyalty to people.
