Leaving Friends... Again

Driving always brings nostalgia. ATX to ATL in 2 days. Thoughts run rampant jogging my memory.

A year and a half in Austin and many friends to leave. Life in Austin started out rough. The first HOT summer in Austin left me depressed and wondering why I moved. With sweat that ran in rivulets as I left the house and a body 20 pounds heavier than usual it was time to find my old happy self again. It wasn’t until the first…no the “second” new year (I was working the real New Year. Specifically remember Michelle and I in room 40 with a sick patient about to bring in the new year when….splat…vomit everywhere. Laughing thinking yup here comes 2010.) No really though, the fake new years (the night of Jan 1st) brought me back to life screaming our resolutions into the night, believing they would come true…thank you party posse!

After a good start to 2010, Swaziland made its way into my heart. Staring at poverty in its stone cold eyes I found gentleness and hope. A pastor there said to us, “We use the world unbuntu here. It means we are all in it together, you are my brother”. It clicked- we are all the same. It is very easy to be desensitized by the media when looking at millions of people in a refugee camps or a 50-pound adult dying on the side of the road. It is easy to look at them and believe we are not the same. What makes us any better than them? Is it because we were born in America with parents who love us and are able to provide for our needs? Everyone in the world have two things in common- we live and we die. That’s it. Unbuntu. You are my brother. Kim say’s I left Africa changed…I came back content.

I learned from all you great people in Austin! My roomie Kate, fate was perfect for us! We had a chapter of our lives to the day together! My mulberry boys Dean, Robbie, Andy were my first friends in Austin! The laughs over iphones, wine, Kite festival x 2, and life in Austin are great memories! Anna from the first time I saw you walk into St Davids I knew George hired you so you could be my friend. Oh St David’s people, it has been fun working with yall! Trudy’s Friday morning, ems room raiding, medicine room melodies, laughing because we just didn’t care and countless number of memories! Bryan thank you for listening and seeing through the dark summer Kat and helping me believe my old self was still in there. Carlton you taught me how to look into millions of years past and how to believe in children in our community. Mimi I don’t know what I would have done without you over the past couple months-your passion for life and Christ drives me. Holly you taught me to breath and not to freak out about small stuff. Misha I’m still learning for a while…there will be more Garage M’hal talks in the future! Jennifer (Raven) I learned to laugh at situations and take it as it comes. Yes to Eeyore’s birthday and no to Norm McDonald…ha! My Alaska friends Jade, Nick, Jordan, Kate, and Robbie, I love how we were all lured to Austin and all looked at each other with a sparkle in the eye because we understand the raw adventure side of each other! I’m sure I am leaving out some people, if I am you know the great times we had together. I will cherish all the memories and friendships I had. And for that thank you, you made the last year and a half worth it!

And Michelle your right…Happiness is a choice!