Sunday, June 01, 2008

Are you my home?

There's something to be said for looking down a road and knowing where it leads to. Put another way, it's nice to know how to get to places and it's nice to think you'll probably know someone when you get there. Personally, I am also a big fan of short cuts, or at least ways of getting places that don't include two of the busiest stretches of road in this country (I-95 and Highway 1). That said, today I am in my hometown, namely, Athens, GA and I'm in a sort-of pre-teenage angst about this subject, so bear with. It's the place I put down on forms when they ask for a birthplace and also the place I go on and on about when someone asks me where I'm from. "Have you ever heard of the University of Georgia? It's in a town called Athens and that's where I'm from." That's my usual shtick when I get the "where are you from?" question to avoid being mistaken as being from Atlanta. (Nothing against Atlanta, it just seems that everyone who hears we're from Georgia automatically assumes we're from Atlanta.)

The only problem with being in the place I love more than all the rest today is that it doesn't feel like home. GASP!! And it's because Brian isn't here today. My heart and mind are in two places that are totally and completely geographically incompatible. And tomorrow, when I disembark from the plane that will fly me to Virginia and am back with Brian, I will probably feel as confused as I am now, because God help me if Stafford, Virginia ever feels like home. Something is always missing and I guess it's a little of the feeling that Hal talks about when he calls the Christian life living in the "already and the not yet." And maybe we're not supposed to feel at home in this life, but be thankful for the time we have with who we have it with while we have it. (If that makes sense.) When I step back and look at it, I am so very blessed whether here or there and maybe home is a big meshing of the two.

4 comments:

CityStreams said...

Aww! Big hug from across the internet! Let me know when you'll be in the south again because I'm on SUMMER break. And I would be totally willing to spend a hundred bucks on gas to drive to see you.

Brittany Wardlow said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brittany Wardlow said...

I'm missing you and you're here!? What in the world? That's funny because all week I've thought I REALLY need to call Kelli. I can't believe you're here. TEAR.

PS: I was the one who deleted a comment. It was full of typos and I hate typos. Sorry!

Anonymous said...

I just started reading your blog but haven't commented much. I was the one that loves barberitos too. Apparently it is a small world. My hubs in in the navy and we are stationed here in Athens(for the second time). I do love me some Athens too. We are originally from a college town in OK so Athens very much seems like our hometown.

It is hard to be away from our "home" and our family but we have learned to make a home where every God and the navy lead us. I'm not saying it's easy but I try to settle in the best I can whenever we move somewhere new.

By any chance are you talking about Hal from Redeemer? :)

Abby
aeschill81@gmail.com