Journey Into 2017

On a train going from France to Switzerland, I remember staring out the window, simply appreciating the fine scenery unfolding as we ripped through a wide open welcoming space, crossed over tall bridges, and moved swiftly along green hillsides and over wooded valleys.

There were a few stops along the way. I watched people get off and on the train. Some stayed on for the whole ride. Some sat silently, and some engaged in friendly conversations. I heard many conversations on that journey, in languages, I didn't understand. 

A family sitting across from me spoke in English. It was a man, a woman, and a child. Truthfully, by then, even English sounded strange in my ears. It took a moment before I recognized it, and I remember thinking, ‘ah!’

They got off at one of the stops. They had reached their destination. I watched them greet a woman who was waiting there. They hugged intimately. The woman took a hold of one of the suitcases, and together, they walked away. 

The train moved on.

This morning, it occurred to me how similar life is to that journey. People come into your life, and people leave. There are those who stay, silently, the whole ride. They don't require much from you. They know you're there, and you know they’re there, and it's enough knowing each other is there. Some take your attention. You see and hear them, but you never quite understand them. And they never quite understand you. Although you're journeying together, they're like strangers. You don't connect. Then there are those who tap into your energy and draw a response. Something about them is familiar. You understand them.

Funny, though, they, too, can get to a place where they leave. They disengage you and attach on to someone else. You imagine this is as far as you were meant to go with them as you watch them walk away, or they watch you, and you move on. Last year, 2016, was a lot like that. People reached their destinations. Familiar voices disengaged. 

I pulled out of 2016 with new people in my space. Some sharing thoughts about the new possibilities, the new relationships, and the new experiences ahead. It’s the essence of the journey I suppose. Life’s journey. There are more stops ahead. I’m sure. Still, I will forever appreciate the journey. The welcoming open spaces. The bridges. The hills. The valleys. Those staying on the whole ride.