Settling In: Tour de France, Takeaways, and Reflections
Moving house is exhausting and exciting at the same time. As I write this, surrounded by boxes and watching the Tour de France, I’m thinking about how these past few weeks have come together.
Having the Tour de France on whilst setting up my new office has been perfect. The steady rhythm of the cycling coverage makes good background noise for the slow work of organising furniture and sorting through boxes. There’s something calming about the commentators’ voices as you’re trying to decide where the printer should go.
The cyclists’ endurance reminds me that big tasks take time and persistence. Just like the riders tackle each stage methodically, I’ve been approaching the office setup one task at a time. Some days are sprint finishes where everything clicks into place, other days are long mountain stages where progress feels slow but steady.
Watching the teamwork in the peloton has made me appreciate all the people who’ve helped with the move. Moving house really isn’t a solo effort, much like winning the Tour isn’t either.
One of the best parts of moving somewhere new is discovering local places. I’ve found an excellent Chinese takeaway just ten minutes’ walk away, which has been nice.
There’s something about finding your local spots that makes a new place start to feel like home.
In the quiet moments between unpacking, I’ve been reading John’s Gospel again. There’s something about the pace and themes that feels right for this period of transition.
The recurring themes of light, way, and truth take on fresh meaning when you’re literally finding your way around new streets and learning how the light falls in different rooms. John’s emphasis on relationship over location speaks to what really makes a place feel like home.
These three things - the Tour de France, the Chinese takeaway, and John’s Gospel - have unexpectedly complemented each other during this settling-in period. The Tour speaks to endurance and taking things one stage at a time. The takeaway represents the simple pleasure of finding your local spots. John’s Gospel provides a deeper framework for thinking about home and belonging.
Each has taught me something about the process of settling in. The cyclists show that progress takes patience and persistence. The local takeaway demonstrates that community happens through small, regular connections. John’s Gospel suggests that the deepest sense of home comes from something beyond just our physical circumstances.
As I sit here with the office finally taking shape, tomorrow’s stage ready to watch, and a reliable dinner option sorted, I’m reminded that settling in happens gradually. It’s not just about unpacking boxes but about finding rhythm, discovering community, and being open to how meaning emerges from ordinary daily life.
The Tour will end, the boxes will all be unpacked eventually, and I’ll probably cook more at home once the kitchen is properly sorted. But the sense of being properly settled - that happens slowly, in the spaces between the obvious milestones.