South Carolina day seven, going home

It’s actually kind of a combination of day seven and eight. I made the long travel day yesterday of checking out of my Airbnb driving through the country for one last visit with my dad. I spent a couple hours there and then drove another two and some change back to Steph sister‘s house.

It felt like coming back from the absolute wilderness back into civilization. It’s strange when you spend so much time in a very rural community for any length of time it feels jarring at first, but then as you still get used to the pace and the people the spaces, the quiet the country, and you come back to the craziness and the energy in the bus on the traffic that alone is bittersweet. I am thankful to be going home today. I am super thankful that I get to fly home with Steph since the travel day feels a lot less stressful and it will be shorter. I am not looking forward to the jet lag when I get home. I don’t feel like I ever got used to the time change here really I’ve been getting up super early. And trying to go to bed a little bit later.

Saying goodbye to my dad yesterday was harder than it was the last time I was here. I think this trip healed me in ways that I needed that. I didn’t realize that I needed. I hope it was the same for him. We didn’t talk about anything deep. He did most of the talking. We did spend a lot of time together, just sitting, watching television shows that he likes. And playing music on the last day was a true gift that I will not forget.

We did spend a lot of time together, just sitting, watching television shows that he likes. And playing music on the last day was a true gift that I will not forget.

My dad gave me a guitar yesterday along with a couple pedals the cable. it’s a Gibson Les Paul, I don’t know how much it is worth, probably a couple grand. I don’t know why the word means so much to me. He could’ve given me nothing and I would’ve been fine. He told me as I was leaving yesterday and thanking him for everything that if there’s anything that I need, I should just reach out to him. And then he has like 48 years of bothering to catch up to. I don’t know that that’s the case. I think that it just starts now. It starts every time we see each other. There’s nothing that can give back time that is lost. I do believe that God alone can restore the years that the locust have eaten, as it says in his word. However, I don’t think it looks like what we think it might or what we wanted to. Rather, it’s just allowing to be what is. I’m not allowing our own hurt on our own brokenness to get in the way of what God can do.

Rather, it’s just allowing to be what is. I’m not allowing our own hurt on our own brokenness to get in the way of what God can do.

God willing, I will touchdown in San Diego at around 11 o’clock local time. I will get an An Uber home, and see my dogs, feel the cool but warm fresh California air. And make myself a really good coffee. There is so much for me at home. So much to do so much to organize so much to clean up. One day, one moment at a time.

Epilogue:

When I was driving out to go see my dad I had heard a song on my Spotify by Jason Upton called Write every day down. and so I had decided that I would literally just write about every day on my trip. That’s what this was my collection of thoughts and processing, and there will be more I’m sure,  but for now — thank you.

Till the next blog, 

a.