I bought a tree for my husband's birthday. It's a dogwood. He sees it, in the woods or in a yard, and asks me its name nearly every time. "It's a dogwood", I say. He loves them, but can't remember the name, I think because they look different in every season.
To celebrate him and our new house, I got him a dogwood. It is small and spindly, but it will grow into something more beautiful with time. I hope to get to watch it grow here. We have arrived. We are home.
Where people live is a big deal, and where I live has not just been about safety and comfort, it has shaped my character. Here are some closing thoughts on this story:
- Home is not a place.
- Peace can be found during tumult through integrity.
- Integrity requires fortitude.
- I have more fortitude than I thought I did.
- Trying harder sometimes won't make things better.
- Failure is often a doorway to a better place.
- Hope can be found in failure.
It is my wish to have passed a bit of the hope we have found, to you. Thank you for reading my story.
