Being away for 5 months doesn’t seem to really be all that
long, that is until you are home again.
As some of you know, I spent the last month back at home,
celebrating the marriage of two friends, visiting family members, and spending
quality time with the ones I love. But it was in my visit home that I learned a
few things.
The first being that, in all things, no matter the time,
things change, people change. That change is one that I was not particularly
naïve to, but unfortunately it snuck up on me faster than I imagined. Those 5
months I was gone, were a normal 5 months for the rest of the world, daily
routines, jobs, and life happenings. I
don’t know what I was expecting, but what I saw was not how I had imagined it.
Deep down I understand the process of change,
I understand that natural evolution of life, but it doesn’t make it any
easier.
The second thing I learned was that relationships take
effort. If both parties are not willing to put up an effort to make time for
the other in essence the relationship will fail. I don’t know if I can
generalize it in every situation, but if you don’t make the time, there will be
nothing left of what was once there. I hate that this process is true, but it
has proven its pain in my life, and some of my closest relationships. All I can
say about this lesson is that I hope with everything that a second time around
the will to fight for the relationship is there.
Home all together was very refreshing. I can’t even tell you
how much fun I had catching up, relaxing, and just being around loved
ones. Most days were spent with my best
friend Melissa Davis. Wow, I am thankful for that girl. Not only did she
genuinely care to hear about my experience in Namibia, she also knew when I was
tired of talking about it!
The first Sunday I was back, I had the chance to gather most
of my supporters together for dinner and the chance to share stories and
pictures. I had a wonderful video I worked on for weeks, and of course the day
of, my computer crashes. OUCH. That brought on a whole new set of issues!
I also had the chance to travel to see family members. It
brought my heart so much comfort and peace seeing that everything is okay, and
I got to have conversation and important moments with loved ones.
Although home was great and the time I spent with everyone
was great, it was also very exhausting. It’s hard to readjust to such a
different way of life. I think culture shock goes both ways. Now, I didn’t have
it too strong in my visit home, but it was just SO different. It gives me a
whole new set of eyes on how I live, how I consume, and all that I am missing
out on.
I am so thankful for my time at home and I feel so refreshed
and renewed because of the visit.
And now, I am back at Zion! So look for the next blog about
my first few days back!!
