On two different occasions this past week I attended talks that reflected on the concept of "home". Ironically, both talks were given by former American citizens who, until they had moved to Prince Edward Island, had not yet felt as though they had "come home".  I began to reflect on the notion of home, both in the intimate sense of an actual abode, and the broader connection we have to a place or time.

We all come from somewhere. The place we grew up will always reside in our memories, and for better or for worse it plays a large role in forming the person we become. I happen to come from a small island located off the eastern coast of Canada called Prince Edward Island. We are a well known tourist destination that draws people to our humble shores from the world over. They come for the beauty of the land, the warmth of the people, and the quiet pace of life. Long story short, it is a wonderful place to call home.

In a broader sense, Prince Edward Island is overflowing with stories about its own identity. The early European folks who arrived in the 1700's, settled here on land long inhabited by the native Mi'kmaq people. They soon developed a deep sense of connection to the land and to those around them which showed in their oral history, music, and their art. While many chose to stay and carve out a life for themselves and for their families, some inevitably had to leave to make their way. To the Boston States, Ontario, (or now the mass exodus to the oil fields of Alberta) many people from the Island left in hopes of making a better livelihood elsewhere and to send a bit of help back home. All the while though, those who had to leave maintained a connection to the Island via relatives, vacations, and even the eventual return.

We all are fortunate enough to have a place we call home. In townhouses, apartments, or houses, in rural villages, towns, or cities, we live our lives  each day  surrounded by our friends, our families, our neighbors and those people we share our space with. We find our sense of place with these folks and with the land that surrounds us, and this in turn shapes the lives we lead.

The broader connection to place and time is one that we greenkeepers can deeply appreciate. Thanks to the nature of our work we have a unique opportunity to connect with our work places in a way most people do not. Our jobs allow us to be outdoors at our courses each day, but also allow us to develop a sense of place within our properties. How many of us relish that moment at dawn when all is right with the world, for even just a few minutes? Being in that favorite spot overlooking the lake, river, or ocean while watching the sun rise or set beyond the hills, mountains, or dunes grants us the chance to connect with the land in a way most working folks could only dream of.

Another source of this connection comes from our intimate viewpoint of the growth and rhythm of our properties. We watch as our courses make their way through the seasons, how they grow and mature, and sometimes how they can be reborn with a few subtle changes. Being part of this organic process ties one to the land in the same way a fisherman is tied to the water or a farmer is connected to the back forty. It is a gift that seeps into your very being, and one not to be trifled with.

So take some time soon to go for a walk and connect with those places on your property that evoke a sense of home within yourself. Take some time to connect with the people you love working with, and take a few moments to reflect on the legacy of your course. You may be at a course steeped in history, or  one that opened last week, but either way it is subtly shaping you just as you are shaping it.  We all know  there is truth in the saying that home is where the heart is, but maybe the truest essence of  a life's work can also be found where the heart is.