Family Reunion

Life has picked up to a roaring pace ever since I left home. The act of leaving was painful. The act of being away is just tiring. During the last few days at home, I felt as if people around me had already donned their mourning veils to watch me float down the river Styx. It was so hard to leave because it seemed like I could never come back. So I packed up and moved in hopes of tasting life once more.

After reaching college, I was so worried that thoughts of my loved ones and friends would eventually come flooding into my mind and the sorrow and remorse would be endless. So I've kept on the move. As soon as I climbed one mountain, I'd peer across the valley and pick out the next peak to conquer. As soon I got out of class, I'd put something else on the queue. I was so afraid to let the memories of the incredible people in my life take hold of my conscious thought because I assumed I wouldn't be able to move on and adjust to my new environment. It's imperative that I settle in here. I can't grow if I'm submerging myself in the past. Dorian Gray never changed until he faced the frightening image of the present.

And then I realized... I can't laugh without sharing Ashley with my friends. I can't eat food without the sweet aroma of Gina's cooking. I can't write without Rynn's words spilling onto the page. I can't swirl with passion and love without picturing Sarah dance through life. I can't give advice without first getting counsel from Dad and Papa. I can't live here without all the people that I've known and loved. They have all made their own personal stamps on my heart.

So please strip off the veils and lift your hands high. Each day I'm away isn't another sentence tacked on to my exile; each day is a family reunion. I can be with the people that I love simply because they're a part of me. And the greatest thing is that I can share them with the new faces and places along this new adventure.