The Journey

Where one journey ends, another begins.  

In every phase of our lives we make friends.   If you think back on your friends you can actually compartmentalize them.  We have our elementary school friends, our high school friends, our college friends, our work friends, our neighborhood friends, and our married couple friends.  Sometimes these friends can kind of overlap, but usually there are one or two people from each part of your life who stay with you, who remain not just a friend in your life, but your life long friend.  

Being an expat has made it easy to make friends.  We have a common bond.  We not only become friends, but we become each others' family.  We share our happy times, our sad times, our holidays.   We celebrate the accomplishments of our children together as well as hold each other during the difficult and disappointing  days.  We experience a whole new life that really few can understand.    The friendships I have gained being an expat are irreplaceable.  I feel truly blessed to have had this experience and to have given this experience to my children.  To have opened their eyes to a world and lifestyle that I didn't even know existed. 

So thank you to my friends, my fellow expats.   To my first expat friends, Sally and Louise, who taught me how to buy cinnamon in Holland!  To Emily and Trinka who were the lifelines back to my familiar Texas and Naperville life.  And to all my new friends who are TOO many to name.  My friends have taught me how to be an expat.  How to be brave and jump right in.  How to explore, embrace, and love this sometimes scary and frustrating experience.  We have shared so very much.  So many ups and downs.  So many laughs, lunches, tears and travels.   I shall miss you all so much.  My heart hurts to think of leaving you while at the same time leaps at the thought of being back where life is easy and familiar.   I will be following you on facebook and now living vicariously through your travel logs and posts.

For Good....from Wicked

 I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

It well may be,

That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...

 

Thank you my friends.......