Dislocated: A household move unleashes demons

I need to acknowledge right from the start that I’m moving from one great situation to another great situation. After six years living with Episcopal nuns on an organic farm, my husband and I find that we need to slow down a bit and give more space to the young people who come here to work and pray on the farm. Bill has been the farm’s handyman—a relentless job in this complex of old buildings and new gardens. I’ve served as the community’s priest, flower gardener and intern director. We will miss this gorgeous life of liturgy, laughter and close observation of nature with passionate people committed to the environment.

Now we’re moving to our own home in Woodstock, New York, near many old friends. The house is a bit of a fixer-upper to keep Bill happy for a long time; for me, it means a landscape tabula rasa. I will continue teaching and writing. It’s a great move.

So why the interior drama? Why demons and zombies? How do I pull out of a downward spiral of selfishness?