When I Say "Homesick"

Hello, my name is Brittany and at the beginning of June I began making the largest transition of my life...

From North to South, from dependence to independence, from knowing lots of people to having to make brand new friends, from having a tried and true support system to forming a new one, from my church community to searching for a new church community, from post-grad working limbo to employed with a full time job that relates to what I studied, from being surrounded constantly with Catholics to being surrounded by people of various faiths and sometimes no religious affiliation, from a diverse area to an area where, yes, segregation is still a real issue, from the known to the unknown and unfamiliar.

When I say that I recently began feeling homesick, I don't necessarily mean I miss a particular place...I've realized that I now have very many homes away from home...

I don't really miss the house I just moved out of, I don't necessarily miss the many other houses I also consider to be part of my home...or my network of homes....

I MISS THE PEOPLE

I really do.

I miss my family. I miss my brothers staying up at the kitchen playing cards for pennies. I miss TV Tuesdays and Thursdays. I miss Saturday morning driving lessons and Dunkin trips with the oldest of my brothers (hope your driving is going well by the way!). I miss sharing stories with my parents. I miss sponsor/sponsee coffee dates with my brother. I miss my sister/bestfriend/mother of my Goddaughter/roommate and joking with her and telling stories, and spending time with her little family. I miss trips out with my other sister and my brother-in-law.

I miss my friends. I miss my friends from college, my household sisters, and especially my best friend. I didn't think I would be one of THOSE people attached to my college life...but I didn't really realize how great my support system was there until I went somewhere new without them. I miss spending time with them and hearing about their lives. I miss my best friend from high school. I miss being updated on her life, and just spending time together. I'm sorry our time reunited was so short and I hope you come to visit me soon!

I also just really miss having a community of people who share my faith; I miss Catholics. I am excited to embark on this new journey, and start working with a new youth group, but I do miss my old one. I miss people who understand why I believe what I believe. I miss conversations about my faith. I miss others being as excited for mass as I am. I miss talking about prayer. I miss people asking me to pray for them (although I did have one stranger in the laundry room ask for prayers which was SO EXCITING)....and I miss having people I can just ask for a quick prayer.

I don't miss places yet (surprisingly considering the ABSURD heat and humidity down here), but I do miss people. Lots and lots and lots of people. I guess it just goes to show you how big of an impact people have on our lives. I am thankful for the friends I am making down here, and I know I will miss them if one day we go separate ways.

So basically if you've ever been my friend ever...thank you and I miss you....and also treasure the relationships you have. Whether its family, friends, best friends, boyfriends, spouses...whatever the relationship...treasure it and know that having that relationship is a blessing and something to be cherished...

ok too mushy...I'm done now