Hey South Orange - Thank You for Being You

The time has come to sell our home and find something that better serves our needs at this stage of life. And while I am excited to move on to new adventures, I am also sad to leave the only home and community my kids have ever known.

Finding a special place to raise our children 17 years ago wasn't easy. We wanted to find the perfect blend of security, real world experiences, independence and convenience. Add to this list our love for design and architecture and the need for easy access to New York City -- and South Orange was an obvious choice.

We enjoy the strong sense of community in our immediate neighborhood- Newstead as well as the village itself. Our house is the one that always has its front door wide open so friends and neighbors could come and go. 

The seemingly incongruous amenities of this town are another reason we were so drawn to it. On one hand, we can walk down our street and enter the South Mountain Reservation and hike, bike and walk our dog on wooded trails amongst tall pine trees. At the same time, our backyard has an ideallyc view of the New York City skyline which we have always enjoyed from our deck--especially on the 4th of July.

Most of all, its the people who live here that make it such an incredible place to live. With its diverse population, South Orange provides an ideal foundation for our kids who will come of age in a truly global society. They will be far better prepared than those kids who were raised in homogenious enclaves.  

Thank you South Orange. Thank you for creating a special place where open minded people can live together without judgement or prejudice. These ideals are a gift that will transcend our family's move; ones we will all cherish forever. So thank you South Orange.

You can find my blog at http://www.amyharrisonline/blog