One Week Left

Well since so many of you have been asking, I'll just announce it on here to make it easier. I get back in town this saturday, Dec. 16th at 10:45 pm. So I'll be around on Sunday and anytime after that. Call me up. Maybe we'll chat over a coffee or a beer or something.

I can't believe I only have one week left here. A lot of my friends are leaving earlier than that too. It's strange to have these people be a part of my life for this short time, and then to leave and not have really anytime known where I will see them again. We've shared so much together through travels and experiences. I'm glad that I've been able to share them with you all to some extent through this medium. It's strange to reflect back on the semester, especially when it's not over yet. I don't know that I can or should too much yet. Here's how I described to a friend in a recent email how I am feeling these days:

'Have you ever been reading a really good book, and you get to the last chapter or two, and you're thinking to yourself, "how is the author going to end this one?" And you're asking that because it's been a really good book, but the situation has become one in which any sort of resolution or path that the characters can take will not seem satisfactory enough for the build up? We talk about that some in fiction writing, how you write yourself into a situation (or the story leads you there) that is the best and fits with everything better than any other way, yet it can't be sustained and the only place to go is to somewhere lesser. I've read a couple of books like that. The ending usually then becomes some sort of moral lesson, because that's the juice that's squeezed from the fruit of disappointment. I feel like I'm approaching those last few chapters.'

I was thinking about that more today though. It's interesting how sometimes we describe our life in terms of chapters of a book. Like we say that we are turning the page to a new chapter in our life. I guess this was just one of those chapters that was so full that it seems like an entire book in itself. It's good and important to think that there are still many more chapters to come. It will be hard to leave this place and turn that page. So hard. But I'm so glad that I have so much to look forward to coming home. I can't wait to see you all.

Oh and I have a little surprise planned for everyone when I come back. Ask me about it when you see me.