Greetings from beautiful St Paul, Minnesota! I’m on vacation, traveling to see family and friends across the Midwest (where I am originally from). Lots of people I know visit exciting and exotic places when they vacation. It can be exhilarating to visit a distant city, a new country, a lovely beach, or a remote (or not so remote) national park. I would also argue that it is also exciting to make time to visit familiar places and spend time with people who have been part of your life’s journey through the years. Reconnecting with friends from earlier parts of my life has been delightful this trip. Spending time with family members in their own spaces is both restful and revealing. I’ve explored new places to bike, learned different recipes to cook, and faced the sad realization that I suck at cards. The people I hold dear and I have shared updates on our lives and work, revisited old memories, and made new memories.
Though I’ve lived in central PA for many years and it is my home, the Midwest is home for me, too. The places and people of the Midwest shaped me and were part of my journey; they helped me become who I am today. Every time we travel, we have the opportunity to explore and find out more about the place we are visiting, but we also have the opportunity to explore and find out more about ourselves. Coming home to these familiar yet distant places I have found again a different window into who I am what I am doing with my life. New encounters with familiar places and people help me to reflect on my past and how it has shaped and taught me.
To be frank, this trip is wonderful, but it is not exotic or impressive. But it is filled with joy and delight and people and places I love. Wherever you travel (or stay put) this summer, I pray you have find joy and chances to reflect on your own journey!
Peace,