Thoughts about home

This morning I'm drinking coffee on my rooftop patio. Tomorrow before sunrise I set out on the first leg of the journey to New Orleans: Waterloo Ontario to Nashville Tennessee. Last night was a lovely gathering of friends at a local hang-out (Ethel's); in fact, this whole week has been all about getting together with friends and touching base with people, either by phone or in person. Home always seems especially wonderful when I am about to leave. I am excited to go and will be glad to return.

I think of people who are suddenly displaced from their homes by natural disasters, who don't have time to look around at what they love and say goodbye. Of people who have had to flee their homes and make their way to another country for refuge. Of the millions of people around the world who are displaced within their own countries -- for example in Palestine, where there is now a second generation growing up in the refugee camps. And I also think of the homeless people in our own country, in our own community. Canada is one of the most affluent countries in the world and it is appalling and tragic that so many people are without homes. I have immense admiration and gratitude for those who are advocates on behalf of the homeless and refugee claimants in our community, as well as for organizations such as Mennonite Disaster Service that work to rebuild people's homes and restore their dignity. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of their work for the next few weeks.

And I so much appreciate this opportunity to look around at what I love, and to look forward to coming home.