The other day, well, like 2 months ago, I was in my room
with one of my younglife girls/good friend. I was just starting to clean out my
room and throw away a bunch of crap that I didn’t need. Like at all. So here I
am tossing things at her saying stuff like “hey, want this scarf? It is warm
and pretty and free and homemade.” I think that scarf was the only thing she
wanted, but whatever. Anyway, she is sitting on the floor, eating french fries
with a massive amount of ketchup when she looks around and says “Hey, what’s it
like not to really own anything?”
Um.
She then gives me a sarcastic laugh.
So, fast forward to last week. I was exhausted. To the point where I wasn’t
answering anyone’s phone calls. I wasn’t physically tired, but emotionally, I
was spent. Unless I took time to recharge, this crabby little mover wouldn’t be
moving anywhere. Except maybe to the couch.
So, in the midst of my *minor* recluse- like behavior, I
decided to take a drive around the perimeter of the city. I started thinking
about the things that are costly for me to leave. While I don’t tend to get
emotionally invested in tangible objects (mostly because I misplace EVERYTHING), I get very attached to people and
memories. Like the time my Bible study
group (fyi, we are called the BB- Bible Bitches- it is a term of endearment,
nothing bad, so hopefully no one is offended) decided to do study at our
favourite local restaurant over 2 pitchers of sangria and pizza. That night was
the night that prevented me from moving to LA (I was planning on moving to LA
just 4 months later).
Or the times going to the casino to play midnight bingo only
to never win and be assaulted by the second hand smoke in the enclosed room. We
would dare each other to do stupid stuff in the confines of the midnight bingo
room. “Hey Mike, start dancing in the aisles!” “Hey Janay, go bum a cigarette
off someone!” (As a girl that is particularly concerned about lung-health, it
was odd asking someone for a cigarette with no intention of smoking it,
especially when it was the last one they had. Apparently this is a big deal.
Oopsie!).
YoungLife camps. YoungLife clubs. I am going to miss making
memories doing the weirdest things on Monday nights. (One time, on a date with
this guy, I was asked how YoungLife went the night before, and I replied with “Well,
I stuck a dead frozen fish down my shirt.” He never called again).
The times I realized that my friends are the best in the
world. Literally holding me when my world was crashing. Not leaving me alone
when the storm hit. Laughter. Lake days. Ohso. Backyard ‘America’ parties. The worst YL camp experience ever (I really
love telling this story, so feel free to ask). Big bed. LGO dates after small
group. Putting together crappy Ikea furniture. Sneaking into hotel pools, LIKE A BOSS. Weddings.
Shooting guns. 4 Peaks. Thai food and documentaries. Staycations. Binge
watching TV shows with roommates. Adventures. Many many adventures.
I guess, what I am trying to say is, even though I
whole-heartedly believe you, Phoenix, are my own personal purgatory, you aren’t
that bad. In fact, you have produced some of the best people I have ever known.
For sure given me the best friends I have ever had. So, Phoenix, even though
your plant life is alarmingly aggressive, and your insects make me gag, and all
the bodies of water are man-made, you have been good to me.
Thank you for the good times. And the bad. Thank you for
your outrageous sunsets every night. Thank you for being close enough to the
beach and mountains. Thank you for letting good people into your borders that
have loved me so well over the years.
Thank you for releasing me with fond memories that completely eclipse
the bad ones.
Thank you, Jesus, for not letting me leave until I saw
Phoenix as home.
Phoenix, we still have 3 more weeks. You better not screw it up.
Cue photos:
*more photos to come since I finally figured out how to add them!*
