Dear Readers, Thanks. Love, Jennifer
It's been over a month since I hopped on a plane, said a few tearful goodbyes, or rather see-you-laters and landed back in good old Indiana. This strangely familiar place where I spent many years of my life. But I haven't lived here in this area for 8 years... how on earth did I get to be so old? My life seems to have gone in 4 year increments, 4 years of high school, 4 years of college, and 4 years in Honduras. I'm not sure if that means I have to stay put again for another 4 years, but I guess we will find out!
This has been a month full of adjustments... and realizations about new patterns of life etc. I am going to write them thank you letter style. (Thanks, Jimmy Fallon and Jen Hatmaker for your inspiration in my daily life)
10. Dear gas prices,
Thank you for being conveniently low right now so that I can explore many different places and drive "far" distances. I had forgotten how spread apart everything is and while it may be quicker for me to get to place in Indiana than it was in Honduras, it is much farther. Now I remember why carpooling is a thing.
9. Dear Car,
Thank you for providing me with freedom that I had forgotten about for a lot of time, and also that whole thing where I spend time by myself for at least 20 minutes a day going to and from work. I am amazed at what that time to think and pray does. I forgot that it is possible to be in a car alone and just drive places.
8. Dear Indiana,
Thank you for being beautiful and big with your wide open spaces over corn fields galore and rosy pink sunsets. While the speed bumps you call hills pale in comparison to the majesty of Honduran mountains, I must say your trees and fields that I can see for miles have their own unique beauty to behold.
7. Dear socks,
I really don't have a very good relationship with you, but even though the weather has barely cooled down I am exceedingly grateful for the warmth you provide for my feet. It's seems my dear Honduran toes that prefer to be in sandals can't handle the cold already.
6. Dear Amish buggies,
I can't say that I've exactly missed trying to pass you on the road or cleaning off my tires from your droppings, but you represent a familiarity. Thank you for representing a heritage that is alive in my family today, even if I am far from Amish.
5. Dear Grocery Stores,
Thank you for causing me breakdowns because I cannot possibly decide what type of coffee creamer, yogurt, chip or any other thing that I should eat. SERIOUSLY. There is just an overload of choices. This is quite overwhelming. Then again thank you for providing snack foods I've missed at regular prices, you know who you are, ALDI.
4. Dear "You choose everything yourself restaurants",
Thank you for contributing to my indecisiveness and "oh no, what if I don't get to come here for a long time, I have to make the right choice" anxiety. It's not just Chipotle any more folks. You can make your own ice creams, make your own smoothie choices, make your own pizzas all right in front of you with thousands of combinations.
3. Dear Mexican grocery stores,
Thank you for being conveniently located close to me. While you are not Honduran per say, you carry my kind of beans, in a bag. You have mangos and all sorts of goodies that I am tempted to buy. I never even knew that Suavitel fabric softener existed nor Sedal shampoo and now suddenly I have the urge to buy them off of your shelves. But I am so grateful that you make me feel right at home. And Bonus thank you to the cashiers who automatically speak to me in Spanish and warm my heart so.
2. Dear huggers of the world,
Thank you for offering me your hugs. There aren't many of you around here, but I so appreciate them. I think that according to some statistic I need 12 hugs a day to survive. Thankfully, I tried to stock some up in Honduras before I left, but I think I'm running dangerously low on my supply. But thanks to the people who hug me and love me right where I'm at.
1. Dear friends and family,
Thank you for welcoming me with open arms as I have attempted to get used to some of these more serious and not so serious things. Thank you for dealing with my desire to want to greet and hug everyone everywhere, my lip pointing, my trouble making decisions, and constant amazement over things that I forgot about like Pandora? ( I can totally use that again!!!) Thank you for listening to more stories than you care to here that start with "One time in Honduras..." or " In Honduras, we usually..." It's going to take me a while, this isn't going to be easy or fast to make this feel like home again, because of part of me will always be left in Honduras. Thank you for allowing me to grieve what I lost and celebrate the things that I am also gaining. There are so many more little things that I am loving or missing during these days than I can possibly list in 10 items, but I hope these made you smile and also made you understand a bit of what I am thinking at times.
Love,
Jennifer
This has been a month full of adjustments... and realizations about new patterns of life etc. I am going to write them thank you letter style. (Thanks, Jimmy Fallon and Jen Hatmaker for your inspiration in my daily life)
10. Dear gas prices,
Thank you for being conveniently low right now so that I can explore many different places and drive "far" distances. I had forgotten how spread apart everything is and while it may be quicker for me to get to place in Indiana than it was in Honduras, it is much farther. Now I remember why carpooling is a thing.
9. Dear Car,
Thank you for providing me with freedom that I had forgotten about for a lot of time, and also that whole thing where I spend time by myself for at least 20 minutes a day going to and from work. I am amazed at what that time to think and pray does. I forgot that it is possible to be in a car alone and just drive places.
8. Dear Indiana,
Thank you for being beautiful and big with your wide open spaces over corn fields galore and rosy pink sunsets. While the speed bumps you call hills pale in comparison to the majesty of Honduran mountains, I must say your trees and fields that I can see for miles have their own unique beauty to behold.
7. Dear socks,
I really don't have a very good relationship with you, but even though the weather has barely cooled down I am exceedingly grateful for the warmth you provide for my feet. It's seems my dear Honduran toes that prefer to be in sandals can't handle the cold already.
6. Dear Amish buggies,
I can't say that I've exactly missed trying to pass you on the road or cleaning off my tires from your droppings, but you represent a familiarity. Thank you for representing a heritage that is alive in my family today, even if I am far from Amish.
5. Dear Grocery Stores,
Thank you for causing me breakdowns because I cannot possibly decide what type of coffee creamer, yogurt, chip or any other thing that I should eat. SERIOUSLY. There is just an overload of choices. This is quite overwhelming. Then again thank you for providing snack foods I've missed at regular prices, you know who you are, ALDI.
4. Dear "You choose everything yourself restaurants",
Thank you for contributing to my indecisiveness and "oh no, what if I don't get to come here for a long time, I have to make the right choice" anxiety. It's not just Chipotle any more folks. You can make your own ice creams, make your own smoothie choices, make your own pizzas all right in front of you with thousands of combinations.
3. Dear Mexican grocery stores,
Thank you for being conveniently located close to me. While you are not Honduran per say, you carry my kind of beans, in a bag. You have mangos and all sorts of goodies that I am tempted to buy. I never even knew that Suavitel fabric softener existed nor Sedal shampoo and now suddenly I have the urge to buy them off of your shelves. But I am so grateful that you make me feel right at home. And Bonus thank you to the cashiers who automatically speak to me in Spanish and warm my heart so.
2. Dear huggers of the world,
Thank you for offering me your hugs. There aren't many of you around here, but I so appreciate them. I think that according to some statistic I need 12 hugs a day to survive. Thankfully, I tried to stock some up in Honduras before I left, but I think I'm running dangerously low on my supply. But thanks to the people who hug me and love me right where I'm at.
1. Dear friends and family,
Thank you for welcoming me with open arms as I have attempted to get used to some of these more serious and not so serious things. Thank you for dealing with my desire to want to greet and hug everyone everywhere, my lip pointing, my trouble making decisions, and constant amazement over things that I forgot about like Pandora? ( I can totally use that again!!!) Thank you for listening to more stories than you care to here that start with "One time in Honduras..." or " In Honduras, we usually..." It's going to take me a while, this isn't going to be easy or fast to make this feel like home again, because of part of me will always be left in Honduras. Thank you for allowing me to grieve what I lost and celebrate the things that I am also gaining. There are so many more little things that I am loving or missing during these days than I can possibly list in 10 items, but I hope these made you smile and also made you understand a bit of what I am thinking at times.
Love,
Jennifer
Glad to hear you are enjoying your new job. Planning a trip to Marion anytime soon? ;) Love you gurl.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! It's good to remember that we're all sojourners.
ReplyDelete