HOMESICKNESS

Forgive us. Let us remember, let us indulge for just a moment, the reasons why we came...

There is some invisible rope that ties itself to our arms and tugs at our bodies, thrusts us into the air, and propels us - across the street, or to the other side of the world.

In our modern era, it often escapes us, our reasons and purpose for exploring a new continent. Certainly, moving around the world is much simpler than it was one hundred years ago. Board a ship, fly a plane, ride to anywhere. All those places we imagined, that we had created pictures for in our minds, suddenly become real. We reach our destination, we set foot on undiscovered land. Some strange place, which looked different in our dreams.

And the air. The scent of a new city. Breathe it in. Sticky humidity, tropical heat; a midsummer evening after rain, cleansed and crisp; somewhere else, an icy wind blasts from pretty mountains, between a rocky coastline and a raging sea; warm nights fringed with a summer breeze; dirty, grey air, full of fog; damp, heavy clouds crushing us... 

We have reached our destination. Disappointment. Another city, like the one we left behind. Same, same but different. Its nothing like the magical place we had dreamed of... had expected, almost. And now we are stranded, marooned amidst the dull and ordinary. On the other side of the world.

So why do we leave? Why do we seek change? Is it discontent? Challenge? Escape? A drop of them all, perhaps? Is it because we only live once, only have a few brief years to attempt to fulfill some elusive enterprise... and it must be out there, somewhere, in the world. Isn't it..?

But now that disenchantment has gently floated to the surface, and we're swimming in a sea of unchartered waters, we begin to remember home. Our apartment. A house we shared, a room we borrowed. And the air. The comforting smell of home. And if we can just pretend for a moment, that its not so far away... maybe it will be alright. Just another day.

And return to our happy thoughts of exploration, expedition. All the places to see and smell, that we haven't yet visited. The rest of everywhere.

Patience, enjoy the time away. And abandon home long enough to savor the adventure.

Home will always be there, waiting for us to return, with wild stories of our travels. It will be mostly unchanged. Unlike ourselves. And with that marvelous, unmistakable scent of home, of everything we love and hate, we will be welcomed back with open arms.