I flew home this weekend to see the greatest brother in the world graduate from college and commission into the Navy! I could write a thousand blogs about how great it was and how proud of him I am, but most of you already know. So this is a post about another recent thing: reflections.
As I made my way through the airport to my gate, I noticed that everything looked strangely familiar. It wasn’t just because all airports are similar in a way; I felt like I had walked that exact path before. It was a strong case of Deja Vu. I came off the escalator to a stand I thought I remembered buying travel locks from and a food court I knew I had eaten at. Then I turned down a hallway with stores I felt as if I had just walked past. And as I neared gate E1, it all clicked. I HAD been there before… Because E1 was right across from E2, the very gate we launched from to begin our World Race journey. I quickly pulled up pictures of our squad before we boarded our first plane, just to make sure. And like a successful detective mission, the pieces fit!
On the left is the wall by this weekend’s gate. On the right is our squad just before we left the country… Notice the exact same wall in the background.
And this circled chair that I saw across the way this weekend is the same one I sat in during this picture taken at launch.
All the feels. As I sat there, staring across the room at the place where everything began, it dawned on me how much has changed since I sat in that seat 19 months ago. In that time, I traveled around the world. I lived the greatest adventures, witnessed some of the most heartbreaking situations, and learned that love and joy can be found where you least expect to find them. I learned to appreciate my family in a whole new way and more than I ever had before. My relationship with God grew deeper and gave me a hunger for Him that has changed my life. I discovered new passions. My priorities shifted. The people in the photo above became family, and I made friends that will last a lifetime. I fell in love with other cultures and gained a new understanding of the word “home.” I became bolder. I learned to see myself differently. I began to look at the world in a new way. I experienced how challenging, yet rewarding, the transition home can be after being away for so long. I reconnected with family and friends. I moved to Georgia where I have learned more than I imagined possible and have grown in ways that will forever impact the way I live my life.
Nineteen months ago as I waited at gate E2, I didn’t know what I was getting into… But God did. He knew how wild, how great, and how full of Him that journey would be. He knew how it would change my life. He knew how far I would come in this time… And He knows how much further I’ll be 19 months from now. If it’s even half as great as this past one, I know it’s going to be an incredible ride!
