Of course its 2:30 in the morning and I am awake. I have completed the first few days of being back home and slowly adjusting to the sleep schedule. I am very thankful that I am at least SLEEPING. Its just sorta backwards.
An insightful coworker said something wise right before I left South Asia. She said "ya know, back in the old days, people had months to adjust as they got on the ships that would take them back to their motherland. Now, we just get a 24 hour plane ride". And I found myself thankful for that 24 hour holding pattern that the plane provided. I feel a bit like Alice going through the looking glass. As I stepped off the plane, everything was familiar again. I could hold my head up straight and smile. I saw my family waiting just outside the gate. It was hot...as Texas summers are.
But in the familiarity, there is also change. My insides have changed. I have to keep a lot of my thoughts to myself because I don't want to be one of THOSE people...you know those type that always has "one up ya" on stories. So, I am keeping an internal catalog of the things I am thankful for.
Yes, its hot here. But its only hot the 15 seconds it takes to go from the car to the Target, while walking on the beautifully paved parking lot sipping my Route 44 Sonic.
Yes, I had to wait for the waiter to come take my order. But he apologized for the inconvenience of waiting the 3 1/2 minutes and the proceeded to bring me freshly baked bread, Ice tea and steak.
Every thing I could possibly ever want is at my finger tips. And people are being very very kind. Nobody is pushing me. And I am happy to be back among my own tribe. But I still feel undone.
I was in a wedding yesterday. And I was asked to sit by the Chinese mother -of -the- groom so that she wouldn't be sitting alone. And I was honored to do it. She had a red ribbon in her hair for good luck and said in her broken English "I am so lucky to have good daughter in law". I reached over and held her hand and her eyes sparkled. And I felt at home.
So, I am thankful for ice, soft sheets, clean roads, people who speak English, old friends, people who will listen, laughter, and mother's with red ribbons in their hair.
An insightful coworker said something wise right before I left South Asia. She said "ya know, back in the old days, people had months to adjust as they got on the ships that would take them back to their motherland. Now, we just get a 24 hour plane ride". And I found myself thankful for that 24 hour holding pattern that the plane provided. I feel a bit like Alice going through the looking glass. As I stepped off the plane, everything was familiar again. I could hold my head up straight and smile. I saw my family waiting just outside the gate. It was hot...as Texas summers are.
But in the familiarity, there is also change. My insides have changed. I have to keep a lot of my thoughts to myself because I don't want to be one of THOSE people...you know those type that always has "one up ya" on stories. So, I am keeping an internal catalog of the things I am thankful for.
Yes, its hot here. But its only hot the 15 seconds it takes to go from the car to the Target, while walking on the beautifully paved parking lot sipping my Route 44 Sonic.
Yes, I had to wait for the waiter to come take my order. But he apologized for the inconvenience of waiting the 3 1/2 minutes and the proceeded to bring me freshly baked bread, Ice tea and steak.
Every thing I could possibly ever want is at my finger tips. And people are being very very kind. Nobody is pushing me. And I am happy to be back among my own tribe. But I still feel undone.
I was in a wedding yesterday. And I was asked to sit by the Chinese mother -of -the- groom so that she wouldn't be sitting alone. And I was honored to do it. She had a red ribbon in her hair for good luck and said in her broken English "I am so lucky to have good daughter in law". I reached over and held her hand and her eyes sparkled. And I felt at home.
So, I am thankful for ice, soft sheets, clean roads, people who speak English, old friends, people who will listen, laughter, and mother's with red ribbons in their hair.
2 comments:
Beautifully said.
beautiful. keep blogging on the internal catalogue! we all need to hear the perspective you bring back to our culture. it's wonderful knowing you're back, even if i'm halfway across the country! Praying for your transition back into this culture...
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