My Triad of Cities

My husband made an interesting observation a few days ago.  He realized that we live our lives divided between three cities – Watertown, Utica, and Syracuse.  If you locate them on a map of NY state, you’ll notice they make a triangle of sorts.  I had never thought of this before and exclaimed that it was fitting for my Druidic life.  So I started to think more about it…

Utica, NY is the heart.  It is where my family lives.  Most of my friends still live in that area.  I grew up in the Mohawk Valley. Some of my earliest and dearest memories happened there.  It cannot be denied that I am who I am because of my time in the Utica area.  If Utica were a Kindred, it would be the Ancestors.  It also makes me think of the land because it is my foundation.

Syracuse, NY is where my grove is.  It is my spiritual home in many ways.  It is also a great artistic center with numerous theaters, a museum, and liberal art colleges.  When I was younger, it was the place to go for culture (without leaving upstate NY, that is).  It is also the home of an airport – a means of escape to bigger and better things – like Europe!  It is a portal city.  I would probably say Syracuse is the tree connecting the worlds because of that.  It’s in central NY, after all!  I have to drive there to go just about anywhere else.  I would equate Syracuse with the Gods because of how grandiose it is compared to Utica and Watertown.  And, of course, because my nemeton is there and my means of access to Ireland – their physical home.  To reach the Gods, you need to go through Syracuse – the sky!

Now on to my new home – Northern NY.  Our city center is Watertown but I am just as far from the St. Lawrence River – aka the Thousand Islands; thus the photo.  This area has become the body – the physical realm of my life, for the most part.  I work here.  I attend school here.  My home is here.  I am becoming part of this community.  With easy access to various rivers and lakes, Northern NY is easily equated to water.  Since moving here, I have felt closer to the nature spirits so, in my mind, they are easy to correspond to Northern NY.  I’ve never seen so much wildlife before!

Sometimes we get annoyed and frustrated traveling so much, but then we realize how blessed we are to have so many homes.