I had a dream a few nights ago. I was 20 again and starting my semester in Mexico. We fresh-faced students were at an orientation, eagerly awaiting our family placements. All of a sudden, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. Lucy! Where was she? What had I done with her? Then I remembered, she's with my parents. "She's fine," I told myself. "She loves them and they're taking good care of her." But I wasn't very happy about it, especially when I realized that this trip was 5 weeks long.
Later that night, I was getting settled in in my new digs. Anyone who has ever made a big move (to college, to a new place, especially overseas) will tell you that the first night is tough. When it's getting dark, the new room seems totally unfamiliar, and the lights and shadows stand out to you because they're not the comfortable old ones you're used to. It's not a great feeling, and I've had my share of very homesick first nights away from home. But I've never felt as homesick as I felt in my dream for Lucy. I just sat on my bed and realized that I COULD NOT stand to not tuck her in for five whole weeks! I felt awful! I started scheming to get home...
Then I woke up. And, even though it was a dream, it felt SO real! I had been so miserable! I took a deep breath and smiled. Whew! The relief was palpable! (And then maybe I ran across the house to disturb/check on my sweet sleeping baby). All day yesterday I just felt so happy and thankful to have her near me! It's kind of silly, but it was a good reminder in the midst of the too-many-bags-spilt-milk-my-shirt-is-on-inside-out reality of mine that the thing to focus on is gratitude for my blessings.
A cute little blessing, in particular.
Later that night, I was getting settled in in my new digs. Anyone who has ever made a big move (to college, to a new place, especially overseas) will tell you that the first night is tough. When it's getting dark, the new room seems totally unfamiliar, and the lights and shadows stand out to you because they're not the comfortable old ones you're used to. It's not a great feeling, and I've had my share of very homesick first nights away from home. But I've never felt as homesick as I felt in my dream for Lucy. I just sat on my bed and realized that I COULD NOT stand to not tuck her in for five whole weeks! I felt awful! I started scheming to get home...
Then I woke up. And, even though it was a dream, it felt SO real! I had been so miserable! I took a deep breath and smiled. Whew! The relief was palpable! (And then maybe I ran across the house to disturb/check on my sweet sleeping baby). All day yesterday I just felt so happy and thankful to have her near me! It's kind of silly, but it was a good reminder in the midst of the too-many-bags-spilt-milk-my-shirt-is-on-inside-out reality of mine that the thing to focus on is gratitude for my blessings.
A cute little blessing, in particular.
