Becoming a Westfordite

“Where are you from?”

Seems like a simple question, but I pause each time before answering. What does the questioner really want to know? Where do I live? OK, I live in Westford, in the Nabnasset neighborhood. But I’m not from here.

Like many of you who now make Westford your home, I grew up somewhere else. I’m from Lowell. I grew up in Lowell, graduated from Lowell High School and the University of Lowell (before it became UMass), and spent the first nine years of my married life in Lowell. We ended up in Westford by chance. We had lived in central Massachusetts for a little less than a year and desperately wanted to come back east. My in-laws took us in for a year in their little house on Nab Lake and we decided we wanted to stay in the neighborhood to avoid further disruptions in our daughters’ lives. When we saw the sign in front of the little yellow ranch one street over, we jumped. We’ve been in the house for four years.

My children go to Westford schools, play in Westford Youth Soccer (where my husband coaches), take swim lessons at through the Westford Recreation Department, and have Westford friends. We are patrons of the town library, buy birthday presents at the Toy Shop, make use of town conservation land, and shop at the town farmers’ market. By all outward appearances, we are from Westford. And yet, there is always that pause.

I think it’s Steve’s fault. When I was a sophomore at Fitchburg State College, I hung out in the commuter lounge between classes. One day Steve asked where my friend and I were from, then expressed disbelief when we told him. “You can’t be from Lowell. Your hair is not big enough.” Slam. I was immediately on the defensive and have taken that posture ever since. And really, people seemed to have been coming around. There’s a lot to like about Lowell, after all. (The Mickey Ward movie may have set back my progress by a decade.)

Moving to Westford was hard for me. (Yep, Steve was from Westford.) I didn’t want to let Lowell down; didn’t want to be seen as leaving Lowell behind. But, after five years, I have finally decided that I need to embrace my new home. There’s a lot to like about Westford, too. So, this year, I am going to try to become a Westfordian (Westfordite? What are we called?) I can’t give up Lowell – don’t want to – but I want to truly belong to the space I am in. So, look for me at more town functions, watch for me walking the neighborhoods, and be patient with me as I navigate the town. (I still have trouble finding certain addresses.) I hope you native townies, and those of you who have already embraced the town completely, will help guide me with suggestions for activities, maybe even some “insider information.”