Little pieces of me
Good evening y'all.
I come to you tired, happy, overwhelmed, and with a throbbing head and heart. All in one week I have become the godmother of my nephew in Wisconsin, soaked up some mommy love in my mom's house in Indiana, rejoiced with my community in Detroit, played in the Michigan Dunes with some of my best friends for a weekend, and this evening arrived at my dad's house in Illinois. It has been a whirlwind of three weeks here in my home country. I despise quick hellos and good byes, especially when they occur in the same 5 minutes. Come to think of it, who doesn't? Luckily I have had a few days with each of my immediate family members and it has been wonderful. I originally avoided a trip to Detroit because I knew I couldn't catch up with all of my loved ones in less than 48 hours. My original fear of coming so far, getting so close and not having time to see everyone came true and left me feeling heartless and saddened. But as this is the nature of leaving your loved ones and moving across the world, I'll have to get over the guilt. Although my heart aches and I am exhausted, I am ecstatic that I saw every beautiful face that I was able to see.
Jacinta has passed the nomadic lifestyle test with flying colors. Not only has she made it through long socially demanding days with no nap, she has stayed up past 10pm every night "seizing the moment" with her crazy chatty mum. From taking a trip via car or train every 2-3 days for at least 3 hours, staying up long past bed time to play with her best buddies Otto and Iris, sleeping at a new house every other night to dozing in my arms whilst I spoke of Australia to church friends one night and to school children the next, this girl was a trooper! She learned to bowl with Grandma and Dja Dja, climbed sand dunes, gardened at Grandma and Grandpa's house, took part in baby Kai's baptism, and finally saw the moon! She never tired of catching up with familiar faces, but did cry each time we had to say goodbye. As she does not understand geographical separation or the enormity of each goodbye, perhaps her tears fell because she just wanted to stay put and enjoy each situation a little longer, as did I.
At church she rejoiced in the lovely food set before us, moseyed around the room visiting and ran around in circles with the children.
At Carrie and Chay's she grazed with Otto and Iris and tried out every new toy she could grab. At Lauren and Dennis' she frolicked with Iris and had good girly fun in the warm spring air. At Jim and Suzanne's we had a nice breakfast and caught up on lost time. Jess played with toys from decades ago and was showered with her godparents' love. Jacinta heard the beautiful sounds of French once again while strolling in the woods with Estelle and I, soaking up the sounds of red winged black birds and the fresh muddy smell of spring in Michigan. At school she affectionately accepted the overwhelming love and kindness of my old French students, standing in the middle of crowds of small children conversing in whatever language she could come up with. She held their hands, led groups of young children across the playground like the Pied Piper, played in their little playhouse as if she was a big 4 th grader too, and played in the sandbox while we chanted old French songs. At Maureen's she learned to play "Ring around the Rosie," and continued singing "ashes, ashes" for days to follow. At Christine's she played in my old garden, roamed the house where she was born and tried out a new train set. At the Warren Dunes she romped in tents with Otto and Iris, met two new baby friends, warmed herself near the fire, cooked, roamed, picked flowers and soaked up the lovely vibes of three beautiful pregnant friends of mine.
So much has happened in this past week that I am unable to process what it all means to me. Summing up Jess' experience is perhaps all I can do. Mom and George spoiled us with all of the comforts of their home, a fire in the cheminea, good music including mom's dulcimer and piano playing. Friends took us out to my favorite café in Ferndale, to lunch at an awesome vegetarian restaurant, and even brought us Thai food from my favorite Thai restaurant. Church friends hosted a gathering with all of my favorite foods, they even sat and listened to me give a slideshow presentation! Ferndale friends gave us a place to stay and even had a get together one evening at 9pm because we couldn't get there any earlier. School friends worked me into the schedule to teach 3 classes so I'd have a chance to catch up with the children, and hosted a dinner gathering for teachers. Some other friends drove out to the Warren Dunes to camp with Jess and I for the whole weekend, and even drove us there. Mom and George spent time camping with us and then drove Jess and I to my dad's house.
Major sentiments right now are overwhelming gratitude for the generosity of my friends and family, sadness for the distance between us and my inability to catch up with everyone, fatigue from the busyness of the past week, and now sickness from over exertion.
I feel love pouring out of so many people into me and my sweet child, but this love is so spread out that it is painful. I have little pieces of my heart scattered all over America, in Senegal, in France, in Honduras, in Mexico, and in Australia. After about 10 years of travel all around the world, searching for new ways to live and embrace the world, I have come to a few conclusions. First off,
I have many choices on how to live my life, I have seen enough to make good choices. Second, I need to slow down and hold onto the friendships I have already made, love them, cultivate them and stop continually looking for more. Third, it hurts to have your heart scattered in so many places, it brings understanding and opens your mind, but loving so many people so deeply who live in so many different corners of the world is painful. I do not want to continue being a "leaver," I think I'd like to attempt staying somewhere.
It is late and I have no more insights, just love and fatigue. It has been lovely to see so many of you and sad to miss so many of you.
Goodnight y'all.
I come to you tired, happy, overwhelmed, and with a throbbing head and heart. All in one week I have become the godmother of my nephew in Wisconsin, soaked up some mommy love in my mom's house in Indiana, rejoiced with my community in Detroit, played in the Michigan Dunes with some of my best friends for a weekend, and this evening arrived at my dad's house in Illinois. It has been a whirlwind of three weeks here in my home country. I despise quick hellos and good byes, especially when they occur in the same 5 minutes. Come to think of it, who doesn't? Luckily I have had a few days with each of my immediate family members and it has been wonderful. I originally avoided a trip to Detroit because I knew I couldn't catch up with all of my loved ones in less than 48 hours. My original fear of coming so far, getting so close and not having time to see everyone came true and left me feeling heartless and saddened. But as this is the nature of leaving your loved ones and moving across the world, I'll have to get over the guilt. Although my heart aches and I am exhausted, I am ecstatic that I saw every beautiful face that I was able to see.
Jacinta has passed the nomadic lifestyle test with flying colors. Not only has she made it through long socially demanding days with no nap, she has stayed up past 10pm every night "seizing the moment" with her crazy chatty mum. From taking a trip via car or train every 2-3 days for at least 3 hours, staying up long past bed time to play with her best buddies Otto and Iris, sleeping at a new house every other night to dozing in my arms whilst I spoke of Australia to church friends one night and to school children the next, this girl was a trooper! She learned to bowl with Grandma and Dja Dja, climbed sand dunes, gardened at Grandma and Grandpa's house, took part in baby Kai's baptism, and finally saw the moon! She never tired of catching up with familiar faces, but did cry each time we had to say goodbye. As she does not understand geographical separation or the enormity of each goodbye, perhaps her tears fell because she just wanted to stay put and enjoy each situation a little longer, as did I.
At church she rejoiced in the lovely food set before us, moseyed around the room visiting and ran around in circles with the children.
At Carrie and Chay's she grazed with Otto and Iris and tried out every new toy she could grab. At Lauren and Dennis' she frolicked with Iris and had good girly fun in the warm spring air. At Jim and Suzanne's we had a nice breakfast and caught up on lost time. Jess played with toys from decades ago and was showered with her godparents' love. Jacinta heard the beautiful sounds of French once again while strolling in the woods with Estelle and I, soaking up the sounds of red winged black birds and the fresh muddy smell of spring in Michigan. At school she affectionately accepted the overwhelming love and kindness of my old French students, standing in the middle of crowds of small children conversing in whatever language she could come up with. She held their hands, led groups of young children across the playground like the Pied Piper, played in their little playhouse as if she was a big 4 th grader too, and played in the sandbox while we chanted old French songs. At Maureen's she learned to play "Ring around the Rosie," and continued singing "ashes, ashes" for days to follow. At Christine's she played in my old garden, roamed the house where she was born and tried out a new train set. At the Warren Dunes she romped in tents with Otto and Iris, met two new baby friends, warmed herself near the fire, cooked, roamed, picked flowers and soaked up the lovely vibes of three beautiful pregnant friends of mine.
So much has happened in this past week that I am unable to process what it all means to me. Summing up Jess' experience is perhaps all I can do. Mom and George spoiled us with all of the comforts of their home, a fire in the cheminea, good music including mom's dulcimer and piano playing. Friends took us out to my favorite café in Ferndale, to lunch at an awesome vegetarian restaurant, and even brought us Thai food from my favorite Thai restaurant. Church friends hosted a gathering with all of my favorite foods, they even sat and listened to me give a slideshow presentation! Ferndale friends gave us a place to stay and even had a get together one evening at 9pm because we couldn't get there any earlier. School friends worked me into the schedule to teach 3 classes so I'd have a chance to catch up with the children, and hosted a dinner gathering for teachers. Some other friends drove out to the Warren Dunes to camp with Jess and I for the whole weekend, and even drove us there. Mom and George spent time camping with us and then drove Jess and I to my dad's house.
Major sentiments right now are overwhelming gratitude for the generosity of my friends and family, sadness for the distance between us and my inability to catch up with everyone, fatigue from the busyness of the past week, and now sickness from over exertion.
I feel love pouring out of so many people into me and my sweet child, but this love is so spread out that it is painful. I have little pieces of my heart scattered all over America, in Senegal, in France, in Honduras, in Mexico, and in Australia. After about 10 years of travel all around the world, searching for new ways to live and embrace the world, I have come to a few conclusions. First off,
I have many choices on how to live my life, I have seen enough to make good choices. Second, I need to slow down and hold onto the friendships I have already made, love them, cultivate them and stop continually looking for more. Third, it hurts to have your heart scattered in so many places, it brings understanding and opens your mind, but loving so many people so deeply who live in so many different corners of the world is painful. I do not want to continue being a "leaver," I think I'd like to attempt staying somewhere.
It is late and I have no more insights, just love and fatigue. It has been lovely to see so many of you and sad to miss so many of you.
Goodnight y'all.
posted by Matt & Shana & Jacinta & Genevieve Henry at
9:13 AM
1 Comments:
hey Shana and Jess it was great to see you and i know how you hate to say hello goodbye so fast but it is much better than never seeing us at all. we miss you more now that we have seen you again but it is a good thing because we love you and want to miss you. i love reading your bolgs so please keep wrighting we all love to hear form you in this way. we also love the pictures of youguys having fun on your property. we want to watch Jess grow up from afar. we miss you so come back as soon as possible. also write me if you get a chance.
Sarah McCormick
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