Goodbye. Hello. Goodbye. Hello

Berkeley, summer Greek, and I parted ways to the tune of Jack Johnson, G-Love, and the Animal Liberation Orchestra at the Cal's Greek Theater. Following a sleepless night of packing suitcases, I boarded a standby flight to Sioux Falls.

South Dakota teased me with sunshine and open spaces, much needed after the bay area's fog and crammed construction patterns. In addition to quality time with family and friends, I had several of those moments that remind me how remarkable my home state is.

As my dad and I pulled up to the departure end of our regional airport, we realized that the two men unloading the car ahead of us were his golf buddies from the weekend: two of his former students who I hadn't seen in a long while. Inside the terminal, I ran in to a middle school classmate and fellow member of the Happy Hearts 4-H club, on her way back to the southwest after visiting family. In line I met up with a pastor I've gotten to know a bit in my previous work, on his way to start a new adventure as was I. We discovered we were on the same flight to Chicago and I switched seats to chat with him.

Funny it should be him. Six years ago when I had my first really challenging weeks of counseling at camp, he was pastor to several of the girls in my cabin an helped us navigate the tricky issues that had come up. I recall it as the first time I looked at my campers crying because they had to leave on Friday, remembered the chaos of Tuesday, and thought how miraculous it was that God could make something out of this week.

He was also one of the pastors and development types with whom I had one of my first "pastors are people, too" moments. Think blues bar. Think St. Louis, MO. Think oyster shots.

Today we talked about beginning seminary, about some possibilities for summer ministries, about both of our new adventures. Some of his former parishoners were on the plane, too, apparently coming to Chicago for cancer treatment. Before we all parted ways, the patient in the group asked him to pray for them, and he did, right there in O'Hare, hand on her shoulder. So this is what it looks like.

What a send-off it was for me from my life in South Dakota, from the people who have formed me thus far. A good friend was on her way to pick me up and welcome me to my new home in Hyde Park.