Feelings of Home Carried on Northern Winds

There are times in your life when you feel adrift, cast out in the turbulent sea of humanity without any sort of friendly anchorage to call your port of call. Oh, of course, there is home, the place where you were born and raised - and truly the importance of that safe haven can not be overstated - but in the voyage of life, we need to find our own haven; a haven where one can find the shelter one needs from the various storms that will rise up on the horizon.
I have spent a good deal of my adult life drifting, looking for that perfect fit, and never truly being able to seize upon it. I have come close, but never felt that sense of belonging...until recently. Indeed, I have traversed a good portion of the globe looking, always seeking, but never coming to rest anywhere with that sense of permanence that I think we all seek. I feel confident now to say, however, that I think my search for my own place has ended, and I can furl my sails, at least for a time.
Of course, this all revolves around a girl. How could it not? To seek a place in the world, we are also seeking that companion who suits us so completely. Without her, the safe haven is just another port of call, to be investigated before it is discarded, as we seek on. But if one is lucky enough to find her, well then, the voyage is no longer so frantic. At the risk of sounding overly sappy or sentimental, I can honestly say that no other girl has so filled my life with meaning and joy as Nicky has - she is a sparkling Northern breeze, and I feel so fortunate to have her in my life. I can't even imagine my life without her, impossible as i am sure that must sound to some ears.
Having been fortunate in love, however, leads to decisions, large decisions about what will come next. Having looked at a variety of options, Nicky and I both being certified teachers in the Province of Ontario, we have settled on the place we would like to call home - Cobalt, the silver capital of Canada. This small, but very historic town has been Nicky's home for her entire life, but for me, it is an exciting new landscape full of promise and potential. The North has always called to me, with its rugged beauty and great natural wonder. I spent many long summer evenings on Northern rivers, which is one of my lifes greatest joys. And now I hope to be able to enjoy these moments for many years to come. I will need to sacrifice a lot - my entire life has been lived here in the south. I will be leaving behind friends and family, and that will tear at me, especially the physical seperation it will create between my brother and I. Having been so close for so long, it will be hard on the both of us. We are best friends, and will remain so, but it will be tough. I think he understands though. I could never have stayed where I am - Southern Ontario has never held my happiness, and I have often longed to be elsewhere.
Leaving behind a family is hard, even if I will still be close enough, and the bonds of blood run thick. On the other hand, i already feel that I am inhereting another, which is wonderful in and of itself. Nicky's family has been amazing, and have made me feel a part of the clan from the very first awkward moments in Toronto airport when we first met. And so, this awareness of her family, being the exceptional people they are, has lightened the burden of leaving my longtime home.
Well, anyway, this is rather rambling...but it was long past time for a bit of an update here. I am going North, to the land of Silver. That will be the next stage in this voyage of a life. Only now, I have someone to share it with. And she is like the green fire in an arctic night - she fills me with beautiful light, even when the night is at its darkest.