It took me by surprise This old house and these old feelings Walked round and looked inside Familiar walls and halls and ceilings... Hadn't given it much thought Hadn't been back here in a while Everything looks so small Seen through the memories of a child Who would dream and stare From that second story window That was my whole world It was all I knew Like the hull of a seed This old house cracked wide open And I flew Memories for miles and miles Summers, falls, winters and springs... See, He's withheld no good thing (From This Old House by Sara Groves) It did take me by surprise. I didn't know that merely standing in the sanctuary of my home church, going through the familiar liturgy, would be enough to trigger ocean rushes of memories. My sister and I talked about it some; I didn't realize, when I was a kid (because how I have the perspective to be able to do so?) how much I took for granted. I didn't think about that some day there will be rifts that I
I had a list of things I wanted to post about, but my ipod seems to have eaten that list. I think I should forgive it -- it serves quite faithfully, all things considered. So here I am, posting about something else entirely. Like how I'm getting ready to move tomorrow. I've been sad about it all week, despite the fact that I'm crazily excited about where I'm moving to. (I've missed living in a university town.) Saying goodbyes are rough, and yanking up roots and starting somewhere new is also hard. But it's been a good year, and I'm grateful for it. compilation from Thanksgiving Here's a few random highlights. Being around awesome people who helped me get through the transitioning from China-to-America thing. Which means putting up with a lot of me reminiscing, ignoring them to talk to people on qq, and generally being slow about how life in America works. my "little" brother Ib Travel. Lots of trips to PA, a vacation with my family in
Usually when people ask about what I'll be doing in the future, about China-things, I give them very happy and excited answers. Because I am excited, thrilled, to have the chance to go back. But also partly because it is hard to hold onto too many emotions at once and deal with that conflict, let alone try to express it to others. Tonight though that came up in conversation with some friends from church, and I decided I should write about it -- the deep sadness that accompanies my plans to go back -- since I've been thinking about it anyway. As summer turns to fall, I'm constantly reminded of how grateful I am to be in Bloomington for a second year. It is beautiful and good to get to know a place and to build deep relationships, to discover short cuts and favorite houses and breath taking gardens. And the thought of saying goodbye to it breaks my heart. A baby is going to be baptized soon at Hope, and that is a deep joy to me. Because I've known his family s
maple walnut?
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