Stepping off the plane, into the open redwood aroma filled air, I once again wondered "what the heck am I doing so far from home, all by myself God?"
Landscape is very different here from home. Redwoods & palm trees jet into the sky. Their majestic beauty scream "look at me"! Seasons are not the same. Snow shovels and ice scrapers are in use in Wisconsin, back home. Lawn mowers running & car windows rolled down here in northern California. Viewing the locals, one has stepped back in time to the 60's. Long hair, peace signs, tie-dyed clothing & "growing" signs are the norm. I feel out of place, I feel lonely.
An older man on an old bike, graying beard & long hair explains the bus schedule from the airport. Continuing with his stream of one way conversation he races from one subject to the next! My senses begin to shut down as the exhaustion sets in. Jet lag, little sleep new environment trying to find my way, brain overloaded to the point of spinning out of control! This man needs someone to listen to his life story, timing is everything! As I visually explore my new surroundings I nod my head, every so often, hearing but not really listening. I'm not alone, and a little less lonely. Hope I see you again, but when I'm rested Morris.
Aboard the bus I begin to ask the driver for direction concerning my next location. Some guy sitting across from me chimed in, obviously knowing both the location & the driver. Welcoming me to town, he predictably headed down that road of questions most everyone asks once they discover my career status. Sometimes I want to hand them a brochure with my answers to FAQs. ; ) As we passed by the lumber mill, he explained his fathers job there. Through out the next several miles he continued story after story. An unexpected guided tour of my new home! Cool!
With each stop, my new "acquaintance" is replaced. Each replacement is a friendly person, & I feel a little more at ease. Andrew is an obviously caring dad visiting his college homesick daughter. I'm not alone, & I hear about someone lonelier!
A Vietnam vet accepts my verbal "welcome home" & my handshake expressing my thanks for him serving (my helicopter flying veteran brother taught me that) Since those vets were not properly welcomed home as other service men & woman, I make it a practice as he does to say "welcome home" and of course along with thanking them for serving!
"LORD, guide me, help me, protect me." When I'm obeying God's direction in my life, being in His will, I feel such peace and joy, even though I may not understand the why! It's weird.
OK, this is my bus stop. Off to get my rental car. Just you and me Jesus! I may feel lonely, but I am not alone!
"...And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Jesus
Very similar feeling to what I experienced [sort of] being in San Diego, away from family, friends, everyone I knew back home. And those feelings intensified when I went into the Army at Ft Ord a few months later. Funny, the more alone I was, the closer to Jesus I felt. Kind of an inverse proportion. Thanks, Sister Sue, for bringing that memory back to me. I can just about smell that tang in the breeze of the salt sea air...
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