Dear Friend In Search of Home,

I’m on a plane flight from Los Angeles to Chicago. I just departed ways with one of my closest friends and I now find myself with only a Starbucks coffee and a delayed flight amongst the company of hundreds of strangers.

I arrive in Chicago, quickly find a place that sells salads for lunch, and board my flight for Baltimore. Before I board, I check my phone that has several text messages from friends back home. It’s only been a few hours and I’m already missing them.

My plane arrives in Baltimore. I’m reunited with one of my dearest friends who I haven’t seen in eight months. I forget for a moment that I’m 3,000 miles away from home.

Fast forward 6 weeks.

I’m fighting back the tears and before I can stop them, the tears come sliding down my cheeks as I say goodbye to a friend who has become my sister in every aspect of the word.

A few days later, I’m saying goodbye to friends that were once strangers, friends that were not in my life 6 weeks prior, friends that I can’t imagine my life without. And, it hurts to say goodbye to people who have become like family so quickly.

I’m on a plane flight from D.C. to Dallas. I just departed ways with some of the sweetest girls in the state of Maryland. I now find myself with only a $6 Iced Mocha and a two hour wait amongst the company of hundreds of strangers. Sound familiar?

Wherever I go, I meet incredible people. People who have challenged me, have cared for me, have laughed with me, have strengthened me and have loved me beyond what I deserve.

The more I travel, the more I realize that no matter where I am, there will always be a place or person that I’m missing. And, I’ve found that to be quite a wonderful thing.

These lyrics are a broken record in my mind: “Home is wherever I’m with you.”

And, while my heart remains with the people in Maryland, I have come to recognize more and more how much Los Angeles has become home to me. My heart is with the City of Angels, with Life Church and with The Bridge Student Network. That is where home is.

I’m on a plane flight from Dallas to San Jose. In my 21 years of life, San Jose has always been my final destination of home. But, that isn’t the case anymore… I still have one flight left, a flight from San Jose to Los Angeles.

Los Angeles might not always be home, but that is where it is for now. And, this summer gave me a glimpse of the reality that L.A. might not always be home. And, if I am to ever leave, I will be okay. People that were once strangers, landmarks that were once unfamiliar, and roads that were once frightening will become a part of my life. And, suddenly, what used to be home will no longer be home.

The more I travel, there is something inside of me that longs to continually travel and go on adventures with the many people I have met. The reality is this: I have friends that are dispersed throughout the United States. And, while the heartache of being apart is inevitable, the gift of every friendship is something I will never take for granted. God has blessed me with something so valuable, and one plane ticket to either Los Angeles, Maryland, Chicago, or Washington can guide me “Home.” And, who knows. That list might continue to grow.

It’s a lifetime of adventure. “Just as long as we are together, it doesn’t matter where we go. Home.”
There are so many places I now call home, so many people that have a place in my heart, and for that reason, I don’t think I will ever be able to stop traveling.