Coming Home and Looking Back

Last night, driving home from Belmont to my summer abode in Franklin, I was overcome with a mixture of feelings. I felt energized, introspective, complacent, nostalgic, and hopeful, all at the same time.

It was strangely wonderful to be alone, a privilege I haven't had during the past 40 days. Every mile marker on the freeway brought a new wave of flash-backs, unforgettable moments in different cities along the way. Everything happened so fast during the trip -- it seems like it was all a blur. But even in those 20 minutes it took to get home, as I silently let down the retaining wall that held back a flood of mental notes, I began to see splotches of the big picture come into focus.