A Nobody from Nowhere

If I ever have any cause to write an autobiography, the title above is the one I will take. I think it describes my life rather well…and also explains why I will never have any reason to write an autobiography.

In the vast scheme of things, we are all nobodies. In our little worlds, among our friends and our families, we are somebodies, but to the world at large we don’t matter. But at least most people are from somewhere. I rather envy those people. They don’t have to think when a new acquaintance asks, “So, where are you from?” I, on the other hand, always pause and offer an answer that never seems like the truth. Because I’m from nowhere.

This reality hit me upside the head again this week. My license plate expires at the end of October, and so it is time to bite the bullet, obey the law, and register my car in Texas. I hate the very thought. I cried when I had to take my New Hampshire plates off my car. Now I’ll cry because I have to put Texas ones on it. And change my title – again. And my driver’s license – again. Not to mention registering to vote.

You may not be keeping count, but within ten months I have changed my driver’s license THREE times, my license plates FOUR times, and the title of some car under my ownership FOUR times. (And the residence where I vote THREE times – in fact, I never even got to vote in Indiana.) It’s a good thing the Lord blessed me in selling my old car this year because by the time I get everything straight in Texas, I will have spent half that amount on plates, titles, licenses and inspections.

I think there should be a special license plate for people like me. I mean, college students don’t have to change their plates. Military families pick a state and keep it. But I need a license plate that reads “Nowhere” – or, at least, “The United State of America”. That would settle this little habit I am forming. It will also save me from having to budget a little money every month towards changing my residency.

Being a pilgrim on earth is not a new thing. Abraham himself wandered about from place to place. David ran from Saul for years and didn’t have a home. Even Christ didn’t have a place to lay His head. I suppose, then, I am in good company.

But at least they didn’t have to license their camels or register their donkeys.