There seems to be nothing that will quite make you as thankful as spending time away from home or from your home country. I am grateful to be home for the holidays after 12 weeks in Beirut. I will be going back to Beirut and excited to share my plans with you, more on that to come. As I adjust to being back in the States, there are so many things that I am reflecting on and appreciative of this Thanksgiving weekend, some big and some seemingly small and overlooked.
Clean Air: My lungs and sinuses breathed a huge sigh of relief as I escape from the constant cloud of cigarette smoke and polluted air. From burning toxic trash on busy, public streets to no emissions laws governing car pollution, there is a variety of sources contributing to the poor air quality in Beirut. I spent most of the time with my sinuses inflamed, my eyes itchy and puffy from the pollutants. It was a nice change to wake up being able to breath better and seeing the puffy circles gone.
Running Water: I cringe at the sound of water running too long, mindful of wasting this precious commodity. However, it is nice to be able to take a shower and know that the water will not run out before I have finished shampooing my hair. It is nice to not have to be mindful of only drinking bottled or boiled water and not be nervous about accidentally drinking tap water or wondering the water quality that your food was prepared in somewhere.
My Bed: Having traveled constantly for the past 7 years, I have always appreciated coming home to my own bed and always regarded my bed as the best thing that I have ever slept in. I knew being away from it would be hard and I am very proud of enduring 12 weeks on a rock hard mattress that left me with a backache and other aches and pains of an elderly person. It has been such a wonderful delight to sleep in my own bed, which is layers of memory foam softness piled on top of my already plush mattress. Back ache instantly gone. I will cherish every night’s sleep while I am here.
My Brother: Jordan picked me up from the airport when I arrived back in the country. Most people know that he was in a horrific car accident in March and it is a miracle that he is alive and even bigger miracle how he is overcoming his injuries. That is not to say that his recovery isn’t without challenges. He is set to tackle a 5K over the holiday weekend and this will be no easy feat. The doctor said that he could never run again, and indeed he cannot without considerable difficulty and extreme pain. In fact, every step he takes is very painful, yet he has persevered beyond this and not allowed it to hold him back from living his life and pursuing his dreams. Still, the prognosis is painful in more ways than one. He has already had arthritis set in and options for living pain free mean having more surgeries and bones in his ankle fused together meaning that he will have a permanent limp, be unable to move his foot, be unable to walk on uneven surfaces and not participate in our favorite pastime of hiking much less running. Despite all of this, he maintains a positive and upbeat attitude and continuously shows that he is a thousand times stronger and tougher than most of the people I know. A true inspiration and continuously thankful for him.
My Family: There were many years where my job and location prevented me from seeing my family very often and I have missed a lot of holidays home. However, the last few years have really spoiled me as I was living within a modest drive’s distance of many family members. I spent most weekends with my family this year up to leaving to Beirut. Being away was so hard, especially when the time zone is 7 hours different and the busy schedules make it hard to find time to connect. Nothing in life quite like family, no matter their differences or the idiosyncrasies. So grateful for my very special and very awesome family.
Amazon.com: What can I say? I have missed easy access to almost anything that I could need, ordered at the click of a bottom and delivered to your doorstep. We don’t even realize the awesome variety and diversity of anything and everything that you can imagine or want. I am stocking up on herbal teas and protein powder! These two things are costly with a limited selection in Beirut.
Safety: It is nice to relax a little and enjoy the safety and security that comes from being in America. While I never had any concerning incidents in Beirut, there is still the underlying and unshakable undercurrent of danger. Syria is only a few hour drive away. ISIS may not be out in the open, but they have their intelligence sources there and are always trying to get into the country. There are other terrorist organizations as well and Christian organizations that serve the Muslim community are closely watched by all.
Now that I am taking a break from my studies, I am hoping that I will have time to catch up on my blog entries and sharing my stories from my time in Beirut. Check back more frequently over the holidays to read more!