Last night, I said to Vincent, “Can you just drug me heavily and wake me up when we land in Spain—when it’s all over?”
I don’t want to miss that moment—the moment when it’s all over—the moment when we have reached the other side of the “transition bridge” and arrived in the “Land of Unknown.” But, until then, I just want to escape. I want it to end.
We laughed, and of course, I was joking about the drug part. However, that’s honestly how I feel.
The Bridge of Transition
We are in this horribly intense time in the “BorderLand,” this bridge of transition from the “Land of the Familiar” to the “Land of Unknown.”
The bridge is shaky and treacherous, and I want off of it before it collapses!
When we arrived here 1 1/2 years ago. France was the “Land of the Familiar,” and Pennsylvania was the “Land of Unknown.” Today, Pennsylvania is the “Land of the Familiar,” and Spain is the “Land of Unknown.”
Today, we are crossing the bridge to follow our Big Dream.
We have been here before—too many times. This bridge is all too familiar.
The vivid memories of leaving our home, our friends, and the life we loved in Morocco and France are forever etched on our minds and hearts.
Tired
I am tired of packing, tired of leaving, tired of saying “goodbye,” tired of uprooting and replanting.
I’m tired of leaving behind people and places I love and have come to call “home.” My kids are tired too.
“What will you miss most about this place when you leave?” someone asked David last night.
“The People”
“The people,” he replied.
“What can we send you to Spain after you leave?” they inquired.
“The people,” he answered.
The packing, the goodbyes. We hate it!
In the past week or so, we have had too many farewell parties. All of these “farewell parties,” “goodbye parties,” “sending off parties” are anything but “fun.” They don’t feel like “parties.”
It’s because I like it here. I like this place, these people, this life.
Uprooting
I can feel the uprooting in my heart, and it’s painful.
We hoped that our roots would not grow deep here. Why didn’t we keep more distance in our relationships so that the “goodbyes” weren’t so painful?
Our family’s roots here in this land are not shallow. The originally planned 6 months have turned into 18 months. Our roots have gotten deeper and deeper with each passing day.
We have deep relationships and strong ties. Here in this place, our family has loved others, and we have been loved.
A dear friend recently told me, “Grief is the price we pay for loving someone.”
I can feel the grief caused by the uprooting—in my own heart and in my children’s hearts—as we gradually pull away in these final days. It’s painful—painful for those of us who are leaving, painful for those who are being left behind.
Here we go again . . .
It’s painful—a sacrifice. We are paying the price. However, the deep rooted friendships and the love are all worth it!
Maybe we don’t have to “uproot” completely. Perhaps we can have deep roots and ties all over the world, and that’s okay.
—The Cultural Story-Weaver
Let’s Weave Cultures!
Have you experienced the painful uprooting—leaving people and places that you love? Have you ever avoided going deep in relationships, because you dreaded the painful goodbyes? Or have you dared to love, because it’s worth it?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures!” Write about them in the comment box below.
