two homes

How did I end up with two homes?

No no- I didn't go on a spending spree...I'm just wondering at what point Ottawa became home... I wonder if I can pin-point it. Actually I can. Well not so much when it became home to me, but when I realized that it had- and that my friends was the day I thought about what it would be like if i didn't live in Ottawa.

Let's see, while I've been here, I've been a student, a fast-food worker, a public servant, I've been single, in relationship(s), in a long distance relationship, I've made friends, lost friends, rekindled with friends, and made myself a family (out of friends, not kids).

I have officially lived in Ottawa for 9 years, and one month less a day (minus one summer at home, and a semester in Europe). I've lived with roomates, I've lived alone, I've lived with my cat.

There are things about Ottawa that I'm ashamed I've never done while living here. I've never gone on a tour of Parliament Hill (though stood in line for hours when P.E.T. died). I've never had dinner at the revolving restaurant at that hotel that I can't think of the name. I've never (shrinking with embarrassment) gone for a hike in Gatineau park. I've never gone to find the cottage my grandparents lived in near Crown Point. I have gone to Ottawa Senators games, I have seen the ballet at the NAC, I've been to the Art Gallery and I've wondered the market many days and many nights.

I was educated in this city, and sometimes feel like i was un-educated here too. I grew up in this city. I moved here when I was 18 years old! A baby for crying out loud! That's a third of my life I've lived in Ottawa!

In the last while, when travelling, and people ask me where I'm from, my answer is, without hesitation, Ottawa.

What happens, if one day, i don't live in Ottawa? They say home is where the heart is, but what if I've left pieces of my heart in more than one place? Will there be room in my heart for a third?