I always love it when I see that blue “Welcome To Michigan: Great Lakes, Great Times” sign. It feels like coming home!
Who would have thought, right! Especially after my first visit to Michigan. Coming from Massachusetts where
1. everything was so much closer together!
2. it seemed like everything was so built up…tall buildings everywhere and
3. there were hills here and there (including Bunker Hill!)
Driving through acres upon acres of fields in Berrien Springs, I literally asked my friend, “where are the buildings?”
But now, the familiarity of I94 (I think having an accident on it created a bond)…The awesome speed limit (at least downstate – in the UP, ehm, not so much)…Uniquely Michigan midwestern hospitality and warmth (not too warm like in the South and not too cold like on the East coast)…And seasons I’m accustomed to – not to mention the bliss of all four seasons! Coming back to Michigan felt like coming home.
As you might, perhaps, imagine, these warm, fuzzy feelings towards this place were greeted with some disdain at first. Rather, I was a little confused about whether or not I was denying my home in Zimbabwe by feeling like Michigan was home now. To the question, “Will you go back to live in Zimbabwe?” I’d always responded with an emphatic, “Yes, because it’s home!” What did this new reality of a home in Michigan mean?
After much thought and consideration, I have reached a conclusion and it comes in the form of a definition. You see, home is that place you want to go to when things aren’t so good where you’re at. It’s comforting familiarity and social cues and soothing environment. It’s a place where you expect to feel accepted no matter what. Kinda like what I was talking about in this blog post.
Instead of feeling conflicted about where I belong and which place is home – Michigan or Zimbabwe…I’m overwhelmed by a sense of my blessedness. To have 2 places that I can call home when others don’t even have one! God is too generous to me.
Moreover, the knowledge of an even better home that God is preparing for me and preparing me for brings such peace – the home in Heaven with Him. God is so good.
There are several blog pieces I started while in Zimbabwe: I don’t know if I’ll get around to completing them and posting them – there are so many other things I wanna blog about now! No rush. I’m home 🙂