The Journey

There are some journeys that are inner and some that are outer. In life, we tackle both, sometimes by necessity and sometimes, by choice. The inner journey explores who we are and the outer journey explores the world around us, that exists. Both go through many changes and both are a mystery. In other words, there are neither limits to the inner journey nor to the outer journey. And when you are on one, you tend to also be on another, or at least they impact and influence each other. The outer journey and the inner journey tend to push each other past previous horizons. Which is why it is a risk and also the only truth; change.

I've been on both and very soon will be on a more significant outer journey. After 17 years stationed in Tejas, I will be relocating to Maine and not I alone, but my spouse Bear will be joining me on this outer journey.

We leave 30 days from today to relocate to the Portland, Maine area, where our parents and sister reside in nearby York, Maine. We will make a stop in the Chicago area to visit with Bears adult children, grandchildren, ex-wife and her new spouse, Steve. And yes, we will stay with them.

The reason for this journey is complex (aren't they all), but it has something to do with our deep need for change. I know life is changing around us. Nothing in the world keeps this reality from us, from continued ISIS attacks in Europe and individuals influenced by the terrorists idealogy to the current 2016 Presidential Election. It just seems the whole world is teetering on unzipping itself.

My personal decision to say "Yes" to this particular choice revolves around a need to be near our folks. Honestly, with both Bears parents passed and my parents, in their 80's, time becomes a bit crystalized. And I realize that the journey's I've made, to this point, have been connected to my folks. The choices of careers from childcare, to adult care, and then Special Education care, finalizing in pastoral care, each have their inception, in the gifts, I find intrinsic. My mother's ability to compromise and find the best in anything to my father's notions of justice with special interest in the downtrodden and compassion, hard won by his years of personal struggle.

And so I commit, with my new MacBook Air, to blog daily till we get there. Join me on our Journeyings!