In late April moving from my roommate-less apartment to an extra bedroom in a co-workers house took a bit of getting used to, and fortunately I quickly recognized it for what it was, a God-given chance to practice transitioning. This week I had a similar opportunity as I transferred back to Kentucky for a couple months.
Settling into Louisville this week, my home of ~21 years, surprised me in its difficulty. Many of the people here are the same, but their lives and friends have changed. For the first couple days I severely missed the intimate relationships and sense of purpose I had in Baltimore.
In many situations this week I shifted from a host to a guest, from a servant to the one being served, and from comfortable to a bit out of place. I admit, I probably won't be at ease again until I know everyone's name and plug back into the homeless shelter or the disabilities ministry, but I do recognize this unsettledness is good.
Not only does missing my Maryland companions reassure me that I don't have an unhealthy sense of detachment as I had feared, but the mild culture shock is also preparing me for the major one just around the corner. 24-48 hours is about the adjustment period for me to start feeling at home after a stateside relocation,
but it would be unwise to presume the Bolivian segue will be as fast or smooth. It's so nice of God to give me these little trial runs, and it was very nice of Javan and Thrive to put together such a fun 4th of July celebration. There's nothing like a day on the lake to get acquainted with strangers and reacquainted with old friends. (Disclaimer: I did not actually drive any boat.)
1 comment:
I love the attitude - it's all good, even the discomfort, because it's all from God!
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