I have been afflicted with wanderlust. Quite fatally, in fact. On the one hand, I love my life back home in America. I have a wonderful family and fantastic friends, great places to live, and fulfilling jobs. My life in the USA has been the kind of life that most people would be quite envious of.
But there's a part of me that always wants to get away. When I come home from my travels, when I settle down for a year or two, there's always a part of me that is yearning to travel again, to keep going and to see more of this big, beautiful world that we live in. And once I get to some new destination, there's always a part of me that wants to come back home.
In both places, at home and abroad, I can usually conquer my yearning for the other place, and concentrate on the here and now. But there are times in Korea when I feel that I shall simply die if I don't catch the next flight to America. It was the same in Spain, Costa Rica, France, and Morocco. And it is often the same in America - I feel that if I don't escape the constancy, the inane sameness of day to day life by going somewhere - anywhere - I will self-implode.
This wanderlust has caused an unfortunate, unforeseen consequence in my internal psyche. I have no real home. When I want to go home, I no longer know where to go. When I first started solo traveling at the age of 17, I never expected that the result would be that I would be rendered homeless. If home is truly where the heart is, then my home is spread out all over the world, in the homes of the people that I've met and traveled with and explored with.
I still love to see new things and meet new people. But at the same time, it's exhausting. I don't have a home base to retreat to, a cheering squad to meet me when I come home from work or school. I am, in effect, a self-made gypsy. But the Lord's faithfulness crosses all borders, knows no times zones. If you are feeling distant from your family - emotionally, physically, or both - don't despair. God is looking out for you, even if it feels like no one else is.
But there's a part of me that always wants to get away. When I come home from my travels, when I settle down for a year or two, there's always a part of me that is yearning to travel again, to keep going and to see more of this big, beautiful world that we live in. And once I get to some new destination, there's always a part of me that wants to come back home.
In both places, at home and abroad, I can usually conquer my yearning for the other place, and concentrate on the here and now. But there are times in Korea when I feel that I shall simply die if I don't catch the next flight to America. It was the same in Spain, Costa Rica, France, and Morocco. And it is often the same in America - I feel that if I don't escape the constancy, the inane sameness of day to day life by going somewhere - anywhere - I will self-implode.
This wanderlust has caused an unfortunate, unforeseen consequence in my internal psyche. I have no real home. When I want to go home, I no longer know where to go. When I first started solo traveling at the age of 17, I never expected that the result would be that I would be rendered homeless. If home is truly where the heart is, then my home is spread out all over the world, in the homes of the people that I've met and traveled with and explored with.
I still love to see new things and meet new people. But at the same time, it's exhausting. I don't have a home base to retreat to, a cheering squad to meet me when I come home from work or school. I am, in effect, a self-made gypsy. But the Lord's faithfulness crosses all borders, knows no times zones. If you are feeling distant from your family - emotionally, physically, or both - don't despair. God is looking out for you, even if it feels like no one else is.
Psalm 37:23-29
23 The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.
27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
then you will dwell in the land forever.
28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;
the offspring of the wicked will perish.
29 The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.
the offspring of the wicked will perish.
29 The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment