"Never go back..."

csgohan4

Manchester is where I had my wonder years, but sadly of late, it is no longer regarded as home for me, most of my friends have moved away, it has also changed massively, too many people, too many new buildings, like a clone almost of any other city.


Didn't go back in the end, even though parents are there, never regretted it, plus not as cold down south

margi_g

I wouldnt make the move based on sentiment. I think keep your memories in tact.places change and so do people Thats life. I visited a place I lived in and was happy at the time.When I returned years later I realised I couldnt go back . I was different and so was the town. Drove away with happy memories and no regrets at leaving.

vjm63

I grew up on the edge of a large South East town, with school and everything was in the town so was used to that. Then university and after I was living in Manchester, Hull and Cardiff, so still suburban and busy. After 25 years we moved to a very rural part of Wales, and this is what suits me. We went back to see family of course, but I simply could not live in a town now - too crowded, too busy for me. We used to joke that the traffic on the M4 used to increase average speed by 10mph when you passed Swindon going east! Go back to Hull or Manchester? - no, we been since but it would not work for me/us, they have changed.

Oddly, my son who was still living at home when we moved here has moved happily back to Cardiff - it suits him. For me, I think the rural preference comes from one side of the family who lived in a very rural part of Oxfordshire - I inherited that gene, if it exists, obviously.

Contessa

Davesnave wrote: »

Shakespeare got it right. Your previous home town, or area, should be viewed like a stage set. The set designer will have made changes; some of them quite drastic, and you won't necessarily see all as an improvement.

If you expect to be in the same play 20 or 40 years later, you'll also be disappointed. Each Act is an improvisation. Probably, only a few of the original cast will remain, and they won't be in the same role. All this will be disorientating for a while.

If you just go with the flow, things should work out fine. You'll soon find yourself acting confidently, without glancing at the prompt, or dwelling on past performances.

However, beware that scene where you drive alone along a familiar road, just listening to the radio and enjoying the sunny day. The surprising power of cheap, popular music may suddenly transport you into that parallel universe of the past, where you are young, fit and free to do whatever you like with your life.....

That can be a dangerous route to take. Your experience and skills, collected over the years, will probably get you through safely, but I can't guarantee it.

Dave, thank you for your very insightful post.

I like going back to visit places where I used to live and it's nice to dwell a while in Memory Lane but not live there.

A couple of years ago I moved back to one of the areas I lived in as a child, although not to the same town. I'm in a different play now and am the principal actor and director. There's sadness that so many of the other players are no longer in my production but I'm still adlibbing as I go along.

And expecting rave reviews!