A couple of days ago, a very inspired and understanding friend of mine (Caitlin Pike, for those of you who know her) sent me a gem of a quote. The best part? It's not from a famous hero or well-known author. Just a guy blogging about his adventures in Romania as a Fulbrighter. His name is Kerry Glamsch, and if you're interested you can check out his blog here: http://glamschinromania.blogspot.com/
“Occasionally, if I think about my future, about being so rootless, I get a slight panic, a shortness of breath, and I find myself grasping at anything that resembles permanence. This is my journey, to learn to let go, to trust that the river of life will always continue to flow, and though the scenery and water changes, the river itself will always remain. Sometimes, I am so elated that I want to sing out in the middle of a crowded park. Sometimes, it’s all I can do not to put my arm around the shoulder of a stranger sitting beside me. And though I am occasionally so blue that my eyes ache with tears, I have never, ever ceased to be amazed by the exceptional beauty of life, and the indomitable human spirit. I am reborn; everything is new.”
I can completely identify with his ponderings. That "rootless life" is the one I see ahead for the next couple of years, and yes - it is exciting and riveting and full of possibility. At the same time, a certain bit of hesitation is very real. When you've been counting on the same people, places, and things in a small, sleepy Kentucky hometown your entire life, the whispering promise of the rest of the world seems awfully enormous. Alas, much like Glamsch expressed, this is my journey: to live and let go, to chase experience, and to "be amazed by the exceptional beauty of life, and the indomitable human spirit." How can you ask for anything more?
