Heading home...

Heading home after such a deep incredible time... is never easy.

Also travelling alone carries it's own silent stresses.

Sweet Lorraine and Ted offered me a ride to Rome in their luxury taxis.

I turned them down and that will always be something that I will regret as long as I live.

Had I have known then that Lorraine would be gone today - I would have given anything to have an almost 2 hour long drive, one on one with them.  I'm not sure my heart will ever get over this oversight of mine.  Maybe on some level, my mind or heart could never comprehend her not beating her illness.  In hindsight, I do believe I just never once considered an alternative.

Photo Credit : Misty Mawn

Why did I turn them down?  I felt guilty to let my fellow students travel the trains while I travelled in luxury.  And maybe on some level, I felt a little unworthy of such kindness, I don't know.

But I know I will always have a little pang in my heart regarding this.

Instead, I travelled to Roma with Robin and Diane and Anne.

I loved our time together at the train station as we all waited for our train - us on one side of the platform, and Misty her her sweet family on the opposite side heading in a different direction.  Their train came first and we waved and blew kisses like crazy people.  Precious.

Diana and Robin headed to their train coach and Anne and myself, to ours.  We were in the same coach but different seats - we opted to stand together in passage way and stood for two hours talking and sharing stories of our lives.  I don't think either of us will ever forget that train trip...

That we chose to do that instead of sitting.

Once we arrived at the airport - we embraced and said our farewells... she headed to her flight to Switzerland and I headed to my flight to Egypt.  I'm not going to lie, the next leg of my trip, Italy to Egypt wasn't pleasant.  I'm not going to talk too much about it, but I was unprepared.

After a 28 hour trip home - I was more than exhausted.

Arriving home is always the sweetest thing on earth for me.

Dig collected me and later we picked up my babies from school.

I hate being a part.

But we shared beautiful stories and moments.

And I slept.  Really slept!

It was good to be back with my people.