We end the journey with a bang!

Our last night in Asheville, North Carolina ended up being quite eventful. As we were ready to go to bed a big storm came up. DARYL went outside to put the awning down so that it wouldn’t blow in the wind. All of a sudden it wouldn’t work. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get the latch to work. So he tilted the side the best he could so the rain would run off of it and the wind wouldn’t catch it.

I went to bed praying that it would work in the morning. However, when we got up, it was the same way that it was when we went to bed. We messed with it and tried all kinds of things and we could not get it to work. We put in several phone calls to mobile RV repair people and only found one person who said that he could possibly help us but it wouldn’t be till noon. We said OK well if we don’t find anybody else then come on over.

About that time, the custodian of the campground came by on his golf cart, as he was emptying trash. He said “ Are you having a problem ?” and we said yes. So DARYL showed him what the problem was. He tried to fix it and couldn’t fix it either. So DARYL said “I think we need to take it apart and then maybe manually roll it up.” But we didn’t have a ladder. No problem. Jose as it turns out, was our angel. He went and got a ladder and stood up on it and helped DARYL take it apart and then roll it up. They put the screws back in to hold it tightly and taped it with electrical tape. The photo you see is of Jose giving me the thumbs up. He was so excited when I asked if I could take his picture.

It is amazing how people are so generous with their kindness. We have found that to be true over and over.

We stopped at the welcome station when we hit the South Carolina border. As we entered the visitation area, a young woman greeted us. “Where are you from?” She asked. DARYL told her that we were moving from California and that we were going to our new home in South Carolina. “Welcome home,” she said.

Her statement caught us up short. This is our home now. That was an odd feeling to both DARYL and me. For the rest of the trip I reflected on the fact that South Carolina is now my new home. It doesn’t feel like home yet. The landscape is so unfamiliar, the dialect is quite different, the food is interesting, and I don’t have many friends yet.

I was feeling sad on the trip home, and it was somewhat unexpected. While I am very eager for this new life of retirement, it is also a huge transition. We will have a new church, new doctors, new bank, new neighborhood, and so many things to which we will be adjusting. While I usually like change, it’s all a bit unsettling. My usual optimistic nature took a backseat to my melancholy spirit.

What did bring me joy however, was when I walked into our home, I immediately felt at peace. The surroundings comforted me. There was my little Zen Pen studio ready and waiting for my creative spirit. DARYL‘s organ stands stately in the corner soon to be swelling with beautiful music. I turned on all the lights in the bedroom and just sat there a minute being so happy that I could sleep in my own bed tonight.

I am aware that with this move there will be many emotions swimming around in me. Sometimes I’m gonna let them just sit there, and contemplate the goodness of them. Other times I’ll dive in and see where they might lead me.

Through it all, I do know that I am incredibly blessed and I’m thankful that our trip went as well as it did. DARYL said the other day that “Home is wherever we are.” How true that is and we will certainly make this place a safe and sacred Haven.

All across the country, DARYL and I saw so much poverty. There were many people living in RV’s. There are trailers with tarps on the roofs. There are rusted out cars decking front yards. There were shacks that look practically like they’re going to fall over, but a light still cast out the darkness. There were people without homes holding signs asking for money. We saw workers doing extremely hard labor in the heat. All these folk striving to make a living and a home for themselves. I prayed for them to feel secure.

It’s time to be thankful once again for our little bit of heaven on earth. Tonight for your blessing, I pray that you are wrapped in the comfort of a safe place. May your home be a nook of love and peace. Wherever you are, know you are loved, Bonnie Lee.