Transitions. Remembering. Thankful.

I now find myself back in the states, back in Ohio, back with my parents.  It is good to be back with my family, seeing familiar faces, walking familiar roads and singing familiar hymns, but I am also missing things that have become familiar this past year.  Missing people who had become like family, missing the familiar paths surrounded by flowering trees and bushes, missing the hugs of small children and missing the feel of the laid back life in Zimbabwe.  

Now life feels tricky.  How do I balance restarting life again in the states while trying to keep in contact with friends in Zim?  How do I start looking for work and try to integrate what I have learned from this past year? How do I keep going but still keep pictures, memories and people in my mind from Zim?  How do I keep remembering cause I don't want to forget?  How do I even begin figuring out what is next?  

While life seems to be a delicate balance right now, it must go on.  Here are some ways I hope to remember the past, embrace the present and look forward to the future.  

1. I have discovered that both in Zimbabwe and here in Kidron, Ohio people are extremely friendly.  I have been happy to discover that in most places where I live or have lived people exude warmth and love.  I hope to also portray more warmth and love.  

2. The humidity in Ohio has been keeping me from practicing 10:00 tea time but as the temperatures will cool down (someday) I hope to stop more to drink tea with people.  

3. Many people have been willing to listen to my stories from Zimbabwe.  I have been working hard to not start every sentence with, "Well, in Zimbabwe we do this or that or whatever it may be," but I have been grateful for the people who have listened and asked questions or have just said, "it is good to have you back." 

4. I hope to continue to do things in life that I am passionate about.  I hope to find work or volunteering that I am excited about and that connect me with people, peace and the earth.  

5. I hope to be more hospitable.  This has many meanings.  I do not always make a ton of effort to be in touch with people that I am not currently present with and so I hope to work harder at being in contact with friend and family in Zim.  This will take effort not because I don't care but just because I don't always love to talk on the phone or text or email.  I also hope to be more welcoming to people I host or see on the street.  The introvert in me likes to hide away, but I must find ways to be more open to people, because people make life interesting:)  

So...its a short list and I still have a lot to figure out. I still have a lot to process and I will continue to transition in the weeks and months ahead because I am still unsure of what exactly the future holds, but that is okay!  

I am so thankful for the many many people who have supported me over this past year.  For family and friends who stayed in touch even though I was far away.  For new friends who treated me as one of their own.  It was a wonderful 11 months in Zimbabwe but I also know that the weeks and months ahead will hold new wonders, challenges and much joy!