It’s booked: Dublin to Warsaw.
Friday morning I plan to fly to Poland, to teach English for two years. I look deep into my nephews’ and niece’s eyes, and stroke their hair, and try to absorb their light and dimples and smiles. I weigh suitcases, deliberate, and cull. And run my hands over the spines of books I need to put back on the shelves. I’m needing to leave my friends behind. And I don’t mean only the friends who walk and breathe and love me and pray big, magnanimous prayers for me.
My books are my friends too, and I wish I could take them with me, to enjoy repeatedly and share. But like real friends, the books will remain a real part of my life, even though we will live in separate countries.
I don’t know how to transport my life in two suitcases and leave behind what is familiar and embrace what is strange, and do it well. Part of it is to make hard choices and leave some things behind. It will be ok. I’ll make new friends there, and keep the old. Both the kinds with hearts and the kinds with pages.
My Saviour has my treasure, and He will walk with me.
Tis a Gift to Receive 
Those airline tickets…so final! Especially the one-way tickets; there’s no turning back now is there? I wish I’d be there to give you a goodbye hug. I’ll pray for you instead.
All the best to you, Anita. It’s an interesting process, taking so little of one’s old life along to a new place.