So it struck me this morning while I was getting ready for the day, after I had finished my breakfast & enjoyed a cup of tea, that I am just like Bilbo Baggins from the Hobbit.
I say this because lately my head has been in the clouds over venturing away from my humble abode to the woods of Massachusetts for a whole new season of life, full of adventure indeed. My heart has been full of sentiment over leaving my day to day routine here for the unknown way over there. The people I love here, the relaxation of summer days, & of course, my two sweet little kitty cats I just adore. My bed is warm & my room is all mine. Everything that surrounds me here is familiar, & even though I might not acknowledge it every day, everything that surrounds me here is quite beautiful.
Now I'll be off in less than 3 weeks to begin an entirely fresh chapter. Little familiarity, few people I know, busy weekdays packed with lectures & books galore, &...no kitty cats to nestle beside me. This all probably seems so silly & small but really, for me, a home body wanna be adventurer, it's a big deal.
The thing that has also been prevalent in my heart though is the realization that I need to be thankful for having these blessings that are worth missing. Feeling this immense sensation of bittersweet emotion means that I have been showered with beautiful things from above that make this place home. It is a place of warmth & security. & yet, it's my time to get up & head off. I have moments of solitude where I think to myself, "I can't leave...I love this place. Why did I make such a decision?" & in the midst of that I feel this pull on my heart that reminds me of what is temporary & what is permanent.
So, you're right, I'm not exactly like Bilbo Baggins but kinda! A little person who adores the security of home, good books, warm cups of tea, & comfy chairs. Most likely he had kitties too, Tolkien just left that detail out, I'm sure ;) Anyway...just like Mr. Baggins, it's time for me to leave my "hobbit hole" & get on my way to a different land...Massachusetts. Thankfully I don't have to worry about creepy monsters or big scary dragons but there will naturally be hiccups along the way while I transition. But it's all apart of the experience. I am happy to add that I have a beautiful, sweet roommate to share the year with! God is so good. So I am trusting that all I have been given here will remain safe & sound while I am away. I just need to go & have faith.
“Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
