We go back to school tomorrow, and I am ready for fall. I am ready for apple cider slushes and pumpkin pecan waffle candles and sweatshirt weather. Many of my coworkers are complaining about summer being over, but it was time. I came back carrying an extra 10 pounds, in need of a haircut and mani/pedi, running low on funds. I love life on the road, but it's time to get back in a routine.
This was one of the best, most life-changing summers I've had so far. I traveled all the from Cape Flattery to Chesapeake Bay. I hiked and saw historic sites that had a profound effect on me. Most importantly, I spent time with some amazing people who changed my life.
I was in a funk at the beginning of my trip. My plan was to spend my summer Lemonading, but I had no idea what that looked like. But it happened, and I snapped out of my funk and made the most of every day and feel 100% okay with the breakup that happened in May. It helps that I spent some time with some really good looking men this summer (and the interest was mutual!), but mostly I realized that Kris and I were not right for each other.
One of the main things that bothered me was the differences in our faiths. My faith is part of my daily life, and Kris is an atheist. A few weeks before things ended, there was a baptism in church. I watched this baby and her family and thought, in a few years, that will be me. And then it occurred to me that Kris would not be standing up there with me, and I just started crying and couldn't stop. I had to meet up with Kris and Debra for a hike, and it was hard to act like everything was fine when something so major was on my mind. That day, I prayed for discernment, and it was amazing how that prayer was answered and I realized there was just something missing in our relationship. Not the answer I wanted at the time! But now I'm thankful for realizing it. Now, Kris and I have a chance to be truly happy with people we're more compatible with.
The last thing I will say about Kris is that I honestly don't have anything negative to say about him. That's what I've told everyone who asks about the breakup. He's a good person; he has integrity and he's funny and smart and I have no regrets about my time with him.
So, let's see... what are the lasting effects of this summer? I now listen to 2 Chainz and Bob Marley all the time. I'm obsessed with buying furniture at barn sales. I have new friends, maybe more-than-friends, new hiking partners, and a new perspective on the culture of Civil War history in the South. I am happy, like, deep down happy, and I feel a renewed sense of hope and excitement for the future. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the teachers' new year, and I am ready.
Comments