The Journey Journals: There and Back Again

With the release of the third and final Hobbit movie last month I thought the title to this post was rather fitting. Bilbo Baggins may have gone to perilous places filled with near-death experiences and then returned to the comfort and safety of the Shire, but for me it was rather the opposite. I left the dangers (mostly perceived dangers stereotypically associated with Africa) of my abode in Botswana and trekked off to the comfort and relative safety of my motherland for a few weeks of holiday vacation. So I have indeed been there and back again.

To quickly sum up my time back home for any interested readers I will give the highlights of my four weeks in America. The first two weeks were spent in Texas, and the days flew by as I relished the reunion with my family after one year and three months of living overseas. I was able to visit my grandmother in the hospital, meet my newest baby cousin, sing lots of Christmas carols, play games with friends and family, shop at Walmart, devour way more Christmas goodies than I should have, visit my brothers new townhouse, drive on the right side of the road, go on a flight with my dad, eat at Chic-Fil-A, watch the Hobbit movie, shoot guns, celebrate the birth of our Savior, and simply spend quality time with my parents and siblings. It was a wonderful and relaxing time that I am very grateful to have had.

The next two weeks were spent in New Jersey with my girlfriend's family, and even the coldness of the weather didn't seem to slow down the spinning wheels of time. While there I was able to watch snow falling, celebrate New Years, go hunting for deer and turkey, attend an American church, meet new people, watch movies in front of a crackling fire, get one year older, eat lots of delicious food, go on dates with the woman I love, visit New York City, go bowling, have game nights, watch football (not soccer), and absolutely enjoy time spent with my girlfriend and her family. It all seemed to flash by and end before I knew what happened, but I thank God for the ability to make the trip back to the U.S. and have such a wonderful time.

During my 16 months here in Botswana I have grown accustomed to the way of life and the little idiosyncrasies of this part of the world compared to home, so I was expecting a bit of reverse culture shock when I returned to the states. There was an initial moment of shock when I first walked back inside a Walmart Supercenter and saw carts stacked to overflowing with stuff that nobody really needed, and realizations of the excess and waste of American culture did flit through my mind from time to time. However, I felt at home in most ways almost instantly and could have easily settled back into the way of life there once again.

But should I?

Should any of us get too comfortable with the earthly lifestyle that we live in no matter what country we may call home? For me, getting comfortable usually leads to lethargy or even apathy. I start to lose motivation when I am satisfied with the way things are. Contentment is a good quality to have when it comes to things like earthly possessions (that don't matter) and our calling in life (that we can't change), but I never want to be content with my relationship with Christ or with the way I am living my life. Those can always be made better, at least I believe they can.

Here's an example. I am comfortable with the people I know here in Maun. I know some from work, a few from church, a handful from conducting business around town, and that is enough for me. As a result, I rarely take the time to get to know new people at work, at church, or around the village. I have my circle of acquaintances and friends already, so why step out of my comfort zone and reach out to make new friends? That's not how a quiet guy like me operates. Yet with an attitude like that I am purposefully restricting my own sphere of influence and minimizing my ability to have an impact where it really matters - in people's lives.

My comfort zone is killing me. I was originally excited to move here, start a new job, and meet new people because it would take me outside my comfort zone. But comfort zones are obviously mobile because mine followed me to Botswana and eventually caught up with me.

So, largely due to my time in the U.S.A., I am being challenged again to stop being lazy, I mean comfortable, and to get up, reach out, and pursue people, God, and the things in this brief life that really matter. It's easy to say but proving harder to do, as with most resolutions, but with the Lord on my side I can succeed!

Here are a few pictures from my trip: