Homesickness Comes in Waves

Who knew?

Certainly not me, who had never been more than hour from where I had grown up and all my friends and all my...EVERYTHING.

I live in a beautiful place.  Within 15 minutes, I could be in the mountains of one of the most scenic places in the country. And since it's a college town and the city center is a mere 4 miles from where I am at any given moment, there is a ton to do here.  And I have been working VERY HARD to take advantage of it all.  I've toured the homes of two past Presidents;  I've been to music and dance events at the University.  Downtown,  I've visited the Saturday market and had dinner on the pedestrian mall several times.  I've seen the official Christmas tree and the local gingerbread house competition.

But it's not home yet.

A wise friend, who has moved several times, told me it takes a year to feel really settled in a new place.  I'm holding on to that and believing.  Some days, it's easier to do that than others - when I speak to someone about a cool volunteer opportunity or attend a church that feels right or have dinner and laughs out with a coworker.  Those days, it feels good and right to be here.

Then there are the other times.  And often, they catch me off-guard.  (And if you know me at all, you know I don't AT ALL like to be caught off-guard!)  I knew I'd miss home and all the comfort that comes with it;  what I didn't know was that there is sometimes an almost visceral ache to homesickness.  Today is one of those days.

But I'm holding on to my faith, the wisdom of my trusted friend and the lyrics of a song that has become almost an anthem for me here, "Home" by Phillip Phillips:

Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you are not alone
Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found