I spent a long time traveling for the military, living in other states and overseas. When I went home, I realized that home wasn’t there anymore. The people I knew from school had aged but didn’t seem to have grown up. I suppose, that’s not a fair statement. They continued to live their lives, getting married, having children, careers. They tried to put me back into the box I fit during high school, small, poor, awkward.
My best friend Brian told me that, “I was the nicest person he knew” back then. He was still taller than me, but at least he had a Dad bod. That made me feel a little better in a petty way. Of course, I had already lost most of my hair, so we were probably even.
I didn’t slip back into the easy conversations, catching up just highlighted the ways that we had grown apart. The old neighborhoods didn’t look the same. It felt like I had lost so much and gained so little.
My life is rich in memories and experiences, but I still miss the comfort of home.
The New Word Wars 