"Good-Bye 382 Shin Dang Dong" is a short story from the third grade reading book here at our school, Lincoln Elementary. It tells the story of a little girl from Korea who moves from the only home she has ever known in life to a new place in America called "Massachusettess". The story tells of the little girl's struggle to give up a life that she has always been used to and bravely go to a new land, a place so very far away.
A couple of weeks ago I sat reading the story with a group of 3rd graders that I work with each day. As we read, I began to see myself in the face of the story's main character, a little girl named Jangmi. And when the author wrote of Jangmi's sadness and uncertainty in leaving a life she knew all too well, I said to myself "Hey kid, I know just how you feel!"
I have been so busy these past few weeks with packing, sorting and getting rid of stuff that I have had little time to think about what it will really feel like when the moving truck pulls out of here for "good" on the morning of March 31st. Now as the calendar begins its one week countdown to leaving, the reality is starting to sink in. And if I said it wasn't just a little bit scary, well then I would be lying to you. But I am yet more determined to go than I would ever be afraid of leaving. I still believe that something very wonderful is waiting for me in Valley Center and I won't know it until I get there. Watch and see friends....I feel it to be true.
The house here is a total wreck...ok, ok, maybe just half of a wreck all things considered. There are boxes on the front porch, boxes stacked up two deep along the dining room wall, and bunches of leftover boxes strewn throughout the house. Yet as I surely came to realize earlier, these boxes upon boxes of things are reminders of the Lord's blessings upon me and my family each and every day. On a positive note, Oblio "the round head" cat is having the time of her" 9 lives". She's never had so many cool things to play on.......and certainly proving the point that it doesn't take much to entertain a cat, especially our Obie.
You know, over time little Jangmin from "Good-Bye 382 Shin Dang Dong", settled in to her new life in America. By and by, the homesickness lessened and she even made a new friend named Mary. She never forgot where she came from or all of the people and memories she left behind there. In the end, I think the same shall be said of me.
Today is my last Sunday here and oh man, is there a lot yet to do. But I will make it, I am positive. Next Saturday the keys to this humble home will be passed over to my nephew, Scott Wright and his family. They will be the "keepers" of this house for me and it makes me so pleased to know that they will be here to care for it.
My life had taken some sad and unplanned turns by the time I bought this house 7 years ago now. But God knew what He was doing (as always) when He brought me here. So thankful to be able to "land" here and begin the process of healing once again from the wounds that life sometimes deals us. I cannot promise that I will not cry as I drive away next weekend but I do promise to never forget the good that happened here for me. Who knows? Maybe someday there shall be a story in a child's reader called "Good-Bye 304 East 14th Street." Hey, IT can happen!
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