At Home in the Heartland

Enough with the personal financial troubles of the last couple posts. We have certainly been a bit distracted by the responsibilities of life, but we are still making Eastward progress. We have made it across the Heartland of America—affectionately called the “land we fly over” by some of the folks who live on the coasts.

While we have been in the Midwest we have not climbed mountains or tasted wine or walked the footsteps of movie stars. The scenery is subtle with rolling hills of endless cornfields. The people are hospitable and enjoy a sane pace of life. It was a good breather from our hectic travel schedule and life in the big city.

For me it is also a return to family—grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, a nephew and my dad. In my intermittent visits during and since college, I have taken snapshots of life in the Midwest but have not lived there for nearly a decade. What strikes me while reflecting on the past 10 years is that despite the steadiness and routine of the Heartland, it is not exempt from the involuntary changes that come with the passing years of life. When my mom passed away two years ago this summer, it changed daily life for my dad and brother at home and has altered the dynamics of our family visits since then.

We will experience much of the inevitable change of life from afar while we are away in the Foreign Service. Potential change makes me appreciate the everyday life that we share with friends and relatives on our visits. While every day schedules may seem routine and unchanging, one day they will only be relived through fading memories. It is these everyday activities and moments of life that make the fabric we weave together to form our most lasting relationships. We have appreciated our time with all of you along the way and look forward to more memory making in the years to come.