Parting thoughts...one week to go.

Can you imagine - can you feel - what it is to cross an ocean? For weeks you see nothing but the horizon. All round you. Perfect, and empty. Your ship is small - tiny - a speck in such immensity. You live with fear, in the grip of fear - fear of storms, fear of sickness..., fear of the immensity ... So you must drive your fear down, deep into your belly, and study your charts, and watch your compass, and pray for a fair wind - and hope.

-- Elizabeth: The Golden Age

It's been one week since I found out when I'm leaving for Korea and I'm still riding the waves of anxiety that always come with going away. I think that the speech above sums up my feelings: even though it can be difficult to drive down my fears about what's to come, it's only through fear that we can discover our faith in ourselves. After all, what do you do when you find a place with people who love you, care about what happens to you, and then have to leave it to continue the grand adventure that is life? You focus on what's been good and hope that the next place can offer up just as much happiness as the place that you're leaving.

Over the last week, I've been given words of encouragement for my trip, alongside worries and hurt feelings over my leaving to a country I barely know anything about. It can be difficult to hear about the worries at times and also to know that the hurt feelings are not meant to be personal, but then I remember that the worrying is coming from people who truly care about me and for this I am thankful. It is truly something special to find the love I have found in my friends and family in Canada and in New Zealand.

So, when it comes time for me to get on the plane in Saskatoon and I'm thinking of having an anxiety attack, I'll remember that there are some very special people I know who have huge faith in me. I just wanted to say thanks.