Keep On Keeping On

Five months ago, to the day, I left home (completely terrified, I might add). Before leaving, my parents gave me a letter to be opened only after arriving in Israel. I was homesick as soon as I arrived and quickly opened the envelope to find a card filled with small pieces of home; some wax from our Shabbat candles, a few berries from the bush in our yard, a rock from the garden, one bead from a dream catcher, and a stray button found in the attic. The card was to act as a portal home whenever I needed, as well as each item representing something I could be proud of in myself. The first week was the hardest and I read that card several times. At the same time my sister, Noa, suggested I write myself two lists: one with reasons why I wanted to travel, and one with everything I liked about myself. I followed her instruction and after that point didn't look at either list or the card until...now. I can't believe it's been five months. I can't believe I did everything I set out to do. I can't believe what an amazing time I had.

Along the way I've been keeping a list of all the things I'd like to do once I got home. The final list looks a little like this:
-Cook
-Play the piano again
-Learn Hebrew
-Learn
-Grow tomatoes!
-Run
-Dance
-Make art
-Learn Spanish?
-Meditate
-Drink tea
-Be extraordinary

I can't say that I'll accomplish everything on the list, and it's subject to change and grow, but the point is that I'm home now and have a choice: I can slip into old habits or I can take what I've learned over the past five months and apply it to my life in Bangor. Just because I'm home doesn't mean the adventure has to end. Someone read me a quote in Thailand that went something like, "Instead of trying to change the world to fit our needs, perhaps we should try to change ourselves to fit the needs of the world." I admit that I don't know if I've had any impact in the world, but I can see the impact the world has had on me.

This is the end of Maineless&Aimless...for now.