Thursday, August 30, 2012

On saying goodbye to the valley

I haven't opened Microsoft Word in months, and when I did this popped up from May. Something I wrote in love, appreciation, and sorrow:

      Harrisonburg, thank You. Thank you for being my home away from home these past years. You were my home in the sense that so much was familiar. I grew accustomed to you. The way we grow accustomed to an old friend. Sure, they have flaws and you don’t spend every minute with them, but you find yourself comforted by their usual ways. I found myself comforted by the backdrop of mountains wherever I drove.
      Harrisonburg your Springs were like nothing else. Big, lush trees reaching out all along the valley. And the FALL. Oh my, the browns and reds and oranges and auburns and maroons. Like a storybook. I really enjoyed your neighboring towns like Broadway and Dayton. Who would have thought there could be so many events in such an off-the-map sort of place. People in California think I am in the sticks. But I know better. Harrisonburg is such a special place, bringing different kinds of people from all over. The steady flow of students walking to or from class. The drive down Mason street bringing back countless memories. And your size provides such lovely fellowship at a church. No mega churches here, we value community and recognizing a new face in the crowd. Thank you Harrisonburg for being just big enough to explore, and yet small enough to get to know really well. 




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