Going Home

In spite of Winter Storm Stella’s aftermath in the mid-Atlantic, whatever that may be, we will head for home tomorrow—a 440 mile trek up I-95.  We anticipate strong and blustery winds, perhaps even a few left-over snowflakes, and even some icy conditions in spots.  We will drive carefully and hope that others on the road with us will do the same.  The time has come.  Maya Angelou wrote, “The ache of home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”  In this sense I’ve been “home” all along.  But I read or heard somewhere that you really can’t travel without having a home some place, some where.  If there is no home to leave and return to, then traveling in and of itself is simply wandering, a state of being lost.  It is only when one returns home and settles in that one can reflect on the growth and experiences that occurred away from home.  Madeleine L’Engle says it in another way, “Maybe that’s the best part of going away for a vacation—coming home again.”

I do know that it is almost impossible to gather up the experiences of this present journey (or any other) while still on the journey.  Day follows day on the road or off the road, mile follows mile on the Interstate or the country road, wonder after wonder is seen here, there, and everywhere.  How can anyone hold it together or bring it together while doing it?  It cannot be assimilated, it cannot be gathered up and pondered while on the road.  I think this is true of our human journey as well.  We have to find “home” within ourselves every once in a while  in order to really reflect on what has and is happening in our own lives.

One of the prime reasons for writing this daily blog while traveling is to help us reflect upon the journey when we are able, once again “to be at home.”  We are going home tomorrow and I hope those of you who have traveled with us (by following the blog travelogue) have enjoyed the journey as much as we have enjoyed it!

I will reflect and ponder the journey on the deck--at home!