Where are you from and going home

EMILY IS COMING "home" for a week. It's the first time she's been back in Quincy since last December. She is armed with a Master's Degree from Eastman School of Music and preparing for a fellowship at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto.

In other words, she's living quite the life.

All this moving can make you wonder where "home" is.

What do you consider "home" to be? In my case, it's Quincy. I've been here 19 years. I'm not a native, but I'm totally at home here. Last weekend I was up in Wisconsin working for Gus Macker and I was proud to say I was from Quincy, though few people up there know where Quincy is located. I just said "not Chicago" and it seemed to work.

I moved five times in my first 15 years. That's not nearly as much as an Army brat, but it's still a lot. I guess technically I'm "from" Grand Rapids, Michigan, where we lived when I was in high school. It's a lovely place to visit. But it's not home.

Home is about identity. It helps define you. I hope Emily can say with pride she is from Quincy. Growing up in Quincy (she was 5 when we moved here) served her well, I think.

I miss her. I'm glad she'll be home for a few days, with a big wide world awaiting.