Places that are Home

So I'm in Columbus now, flying back to Chicago early tomorrow morning. Spent last night at Kenyon, the night before that here.

I don't really even know how to describe what that was all like.

It was wonderful seeing so many people. I hadn't realized how much I missed knowing so many people, having them near... it's something uniquely Kenyon, I think. Or, if nothing else, uniquely Kenyon in my life so far.

It was wonderful to see the Professors, to talk with them, with Kris, with Chris, with Turgeon and Taz and Daniel and Hugh and Hannehman and Serfass and...you get the idea. Even met the locally famous Molly Rice, who was just about as cool as described.

Walked down to the Kokosing, that was important and good. The river is still as beautiful at 3 am as it always was/will be.

Most shaking experience? Walking up the stairs to C300. Staying there was almost as hard as I expected it. I walked into the Tafts area...and suddenly had the overwhelming sensation that Lily was right there down the Hill. Passed the second floor apt, and thought---let's check in on Nelie. Put my hand on the knob to go into C300, and really, truly expected Dave, Bob, and Joe to be there on the other side. Maybe Nate if he happened to be South. I think when they weren't, that informed the big difference on campus. Even though there were so many wonderful people--a huge chunk of the important Kenyon people weren't. That was hard. I got out of there pretty quickly, walked all the way north. Passed the VI, thought I saw Pat in there, and laughed at myself---man, I'm really just going crazy with this. Little did I know, Pat was actually there...we just happened to come visit on the same day. So, once I went back and checked it out, and realized that it actually was him, things calmed down a bit---clearly, though most people were gone, it didn't mean they had disappeared---just need to work a little harder, or be a little luckier to see them.

So I'm waxing poetic and nostalgic at the same time. So it's an angst-ridden post. Guilty as charged. Being in Columbus is always wonderful. Going back to Kenyon was wonderful. These things just need dealing with from time to time, you know?

So that was rough. Going back to Chicago is going to be rough. I'm not built for solitary life. I need people, friends, acquaintances, contacts around me. I know it takes time, and that it will be hard in the new city. Mother's mantra is that it takes a full year to start knowing a city, and to know people in it. I'm trying to remember that. Frankly, I've got great hopes--just need to keep looking, keep exploring, figure out what this whole section of life is all really about.