Note that I said “things” not people…or else this list would be very long.
- NPR. Seriously. CBC Radio can’t hold a candle to it. I still listen to NPR online just because I love it so much. Not only is it great reporting, particularly on under-reported stories but they have David Sedaris and “This American Life“. What more could you ask??
- The food. Dear Jesus, the food. I ate my way through the USA for 8 years (and had 50 pounds to lose when I moved back home but hey, I got it done and so now I think it was SO WORTH IT, glory, hallelujah). I miss the Grist Mill, Mamacitas and a host of other local places in New Braunfels and San Antonio (ah…Rosario’s….I’m missing thee). I particularly was jonesing for Sonic’s Lemon Berry slushes while I was pregnant. And it was cheap, delicious food….
- Hugging people. I was never hugged more in my life than I was in the USA. People would meet me and they would hug me. At first, this was off-putting. Then they sucked me in. Now I’m a hugger and a toucher. I just can’t help myself. It’s so warm and friendly and unpretentious. Of course, all of the people I work with are often quite stunned by my propensity to just give a hug or touch them on the arm….I can’t help myself, I tell them. I lived in Texas for a while.
- Half Price Books. ‘Nuff said after this post. I haven’t found such a fabulous used bookstore before or since.
- Christian Bookstores. I am unapologetically in love with Christian bookstores. I know they can be lame (Testamints, I’m looking at you) and off putting to some. But I can’t help myself. I love them. Mardel in Tulsa is a place that I used to be able to get lost for a good while. Now the only Christian bookstore I can find is way out in Abbotsford.
- Cheap gas. I remember paying obscenely low prices for gas when we first moved to the States….like $15 to fill up my car kind of obscene. Even now, they are about $2.50/gallon which works out to about 63 cents a litre! We are rejoicing because gas has finally dropped below a dollar a litre here.
- Cheap housing. We bought a custom-built, brand-new home in Texas (3 bedrooms, 2 bath, 1550 sq feet) for about $106K. I paid about Lord-knows how many times that for an 800 sq foot glorified apartment in Vancouver. *sigh*
But to be honest, it’s really the people.
I miss our friends and our church so much, it aches sometimes. I had one of those weekends recently.
We have had a lot of “our kids” getting married this year or going through big changes or graduating university or having babies. I want to be there for a good long visit. No amount of email can make up for wanting to be there for a real heart-to-heart.
I’m thankful for true friendships and relationships, even if they were just for a season.
