"Glass with Roses"

Vincent van Gogh 1886

I once wrote a post that related a time in my life to a painting by van Gogh. 

This is another one of those.

Dim.

In a week, my older brother is going to China to teach for around a year and no one knows exactly how to handle it. I don't think he even knows. My whole family is filled with adventurers who are up for pretty much anything if they are sure that it won't put them in jail. But despite that, none of us know how to handle this. He has always been there. He stayed in Florence and went to college at UNA. He has been flying all over the world for the past several years but never has he been gone for more than five months. Now, we don't know when we will see him again. As strong as he is, his frequent bouts of nostalgia make him homesick and we all know that this will be just as hard on him as it is for us. He will have a wonderful time. The cherry blossoms will be blooming and everyone in China thinks that he must be an American celebrity because of his golden-brown, curly locks. I'm sure that he will be okay and that all of us will be, too.

When I wake up, things will be different. I have let go. I have released. 

I will pick up and I will move forward. I will no longer be held in one place. No more will I yearn for the unattainable. I will stop kicking the same bruise from life over and over and over. I will let it heal and I will be stronger. The light in my eyes will come back and my smile will be 100% bona fide. 

This is it. 

Game on. Let's play ball.

"So you plant your own garden and
decorate your own soul, instead of waiting
for someone to bring you flowers ."

Veronica A Shofstall