The Way Back Home

by Andre V. Milteer, M.A.
(Central Texas, USA)

I just returned to Texas after a business/personal excursion to my birthplace in Virginia and New Jersey. Ironically, up until 2009, I hadn't visited Virginia in almost a decade. Yet, in 2010, I had visited twice in as many years.

The way home parallels my own life's journey. Too busy to stop and smell the roses as well as not stopping for a breakfast muffin, we're often too busy to find our way back home. Maybe you all, as did I, stayed away too long.

Remember getting lost in the woods as a child; longing for finding your way back to your house. Now as then, we become lost within the Woods of Life. We long for home--but can't find our way back. Our bread crumb trail is devoured by the birds.

Visiting the local parks, pier, family cemetery, and having some of Aunt Mable's Tomato Puddin --all of this was part of my going back home. Way too long; 40 years since I had some tomato puddin.

Moving forward, I've vowed to go back more often. Every other year--or every third year. The last thing I want to do is become to become lost...not finding my way home.

Paying attention to a flock of geese (see photo insert) they avoid becoming lost by sticking together. Perhaps I can learn something from that flock of geese. Maybe, I need to set my GPS to the way back home.