I wrote the following story for the Awakening Conference going on now in Dublin, Ireland. I hope you enjoy
this brief glimpse into our time in Vietnam, and the even briefer glimpse into my life
after the race. Vietnam was month 10, and my
hardest month of the Race.
this brief glimpse into our time in Vietnam, and the even briefer glimpse into my life
after the race. Vietnam was month 10, and my
hardest month of the Race.
It is too long for one or even three blogs, so I have broken it up into 8 pieces of manageable lengths that I will be publishing over the next few days. While they are best as one, most of the sections work as smaller stories so feel free to read two or four or all eight as you find the time.
The Old Man’s Sea Left Scars Upon His Palms
People always ask us, “Did your trip
change your life? Weren’t you gone for a whole year? Travelling the
world for Jesus? Oh how fun!”
change your life? Weren’t you gone for a whole year? Travelling the
world for Jesus? Oh how fun!”
“Yes!” we are supposed to say.
“Of course. We are totally different.”
“Of course. We are totally different.”
Sometimes. they are content with these
answers they were expecting. They smile. They say, “Well it’s
good to have you back.” They walk away.
answers they were expecting. They smile. They say, “Well it’s
good to have you back.” They walk away.
And as they walk we may start to think
about how we arrived home and dropped our heavy, old, smelly packs on
the tan carpets of our parents’ homes. We looked around at all the
furniture that was in exactly the same place. There were the family
pictures and the old bed we slept in when we were in high school.
about how we arrived home and dropped our heavy, old, smelly packs on
the tan carpets of our parents’ homes. We looked around at all the
furniture that was in exactly the same place. There were the family
pictures and the old bed we slept in when we were in high school.
We went on catch up coffee dates with
our friends–some of them are married now. They asked us to tell
them stories of our year. We told them the same one we told at the
last catch up coffee date.
our friends–some of them are married now. They asked us to tell
them stories of our year. We told them the same one we told at the
last catch up coffee date.
“Yes, of course. I am totally
different,” we tell them.
different,” we tell them.
But are we, we wonder? Isn’t this the
same house? And the same town? And the same life? Aren’t I the
same person? Did we even leave?
same house? And the same town? And the same life? Aren’t I the
same person? Did we even leave?
