Immigrant Women

Recently I received the story of one of my namesakes, Emily Ellen Peacock. Emily, an English woman, fell in love with a Mormon missionary in the 1830s. Her father William, a printer, initially didn't approve of the match, or of Mormonism. Emily was determined to marry her suiter, convert to Mormonism, and emigrate to Utah. Her father finally gave into his daughter wishes. Emily's mother had also been converted to Mormonism. William decided to convert, and move with his entire family to Smithfield, where there was no work for printers. He wound up getting work as a clerk.

I imagine that it must have been a radical decision at the time to relocate your entire family, and move that far away.

I recently heard on the Leonard Lopate show that, while Americans are a mobile people, fewer than 1% relocate to places outside of the United States. I'm one of the few.

The world felt small when I came here ten years ago, but it feels much bigger now. I guess I've come to question the notion that we're all really close together, a global community, and all. There are so many things separating people, and too many obstacles to communication. I thrive on communication, and exchange with other people. When I do get around to fulfilling some of my social needs here I am much better at feeling positive and motivated. Too often, the barriers are high, people are closed down. They put space between me and them, obstacles. They don't seem willing, when, it would seem to me, so much more interesting to drop hostility, drop whatever's barring you from simple, unfettered conversation. I like to talk with people, but a lot of the time, it doesn't seem like people like to talk with me much, and I don't see why. This is called isolation.

It's funny, though, in the story I read about Emily, it didn't say anything about how her life went once she got to Utah. All of the detail I wanted to know was missing from her story. Was she happy? Was her husband good to her?

From what I know of Mormon community life, I would assume she was apart of a large circle of women, sharing, talking, working together, supporting each other. I haven't found any of that here. It's like having the rug pulled out from underneath you raising children without any help at all.

Oh well.

Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum.