Going Home

They say you can’t go home again.

You certainly can…things are just different. Somewhat bittersweet. Yet still wonderful in so many ways.

I just spent this past week visiting my hometown.

Time is precious and my attitude when I am home is this: “I’m not here to sleep.”

I want to experience as much as I can while  I can. I love being with my mom, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Time with them is a gift.

So much has changed over the years. Bodies have aged. Gray hairs have appeared where there once were none. There have been marriages. Births. Graduations.  Divorces.  Illnesses. Financial challenges. Tears.  Heartache. Laughter. Fun.

Then there are those who have left us. Their presence is still felt at every get-together and memories always play at the edges of my mind when I am in the familiar places that I once shared with them.

They are missed. Always.

Yet for us who are still living our journey across this planet, life does go on and there are new memories to be made.

On this trip, there were trips to a beloved Pittsburgh area amusement park called Kennywood.

There were visits to the college campuses my husband and I attended many moons ago: the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, and Carnegie Mellon University.

There were family get-togethers and even a rained out picnic could not dampen our happy moods.

There were times of reconnecting with dear old friends.

I loved being able to listen to the familiar and distinctive Pittsburgh accent again, as well as eating at all my favorite restaurants. I enjoyed hearing the latest about what is happening with the neighbors who still live on the street where I grew up.

There is something that is just so comforting about being home for me. That place and those people are a part of me and always will be.

Bottom line: going home is good for my soul.