The End

Finally made it home. Back in Indiana.

After the longest flight experience of my life, at 6:30pm Sunday November 20th, I arrived home to Indianapolis. Mom and T.J. picked me up and we had a delicious Dad-dinner waiting for us when we got home. I was in bed early that night and spent the day after just relaxing and getting unpacked. It was great to be home. Nothing had changed... it was as though I'd never left. I felt safe, happy, and comfortable.

Wednesday I drove to Indy to have lunch and coffee with my friends in the city. We had a great time and I realized how much I really had missed them. It felt wonderful to be back in my city, even though the weather was cold and rainy. Once again, it was as though my trip to Australia had all been a dream and everything was just as I'd left it.

Today I drove back to the airport to pick up my sister, K.C., who's home from college for Thanksgiving break. Mom, her, and I are going on a shopping trip this afternoon and also to the grocery to get food for tomorrow. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and some of our extended family will join us here at home for cooking, games, wine, and dinner. It will be a really nice time spent with an amazing family.

I'm surprised to be so happy, honestly. I guess I was expecting to really be a wreck when I got home to winter in Indiana... but it feels good to be here... just that... good. Laying around the house with Dusty & Stubby... watching TV with Dad... Dinner with the family... my favorite wine, my favorite food, my favorite coffee... its so comfortable here. A perfect home to come back to after such an adventure. I'm simply relaxing for now.

Next week I start back at Starbucks and soon we'll be preparing for the holidays. Need to start preparing for next semester as well... what exactly I'm doing is still up in the air. I have discussed other options with my parents, so, we'll see.

And so, it was the most amazing trip I could have wished for... far surpassing my expectations. The main thing I am taking from it is to continue taking risks... the risks I was always too afraid to take, for fear of failing. I want to continue taking these risks... continue putting myself out there... being vulnerable to a world I always hid from. I will get out of my comfort zone, and start trying new things more often.

This trip left me with a new outlook on life.. my life. I now feel as though the world is at my finger tips. I have access to it. I can take control of my own life now and do with it what I want... go where I want... make myself whoever I want. I don't have to just do what I can.. whatever's available. I can take control. Make my life what I want it be.

And of course the memories I made that will last a lifetime.

What about my plans now? I guess just keep working toward figuring out myself and my life. I still have a lot of figuring out to do before I know exactly what I want out of life. The main thing is, now, I'm not afraid to take action to discover that. I'm a writer at heart... I know that. Now the question is, where will that take me in the future... and how do I make a life for myself doing that.

This is the adventure of growing up... making those decisions which will lead your life down a certain path.. forever. Where do I want that path to go? That's what I'm working to discover.

And so, in this end, there is a beginning. The beginning of the rest of my life. I'm terrified, but excited, to see where I go and what I do. Wish me luck!