“Everywhere you go, you are your own home” –Sarah Barelilles

My youngest daughter is in Africa. She boarded a plane on Saturday night that was intended to fly her directly to Accra. She was even more excited for this trip than she’d been the first time she’d gone, two summers ago. This time, she knew in advance how kind the people would be, how mesmerizing the music is, how strange and wonderful the meals are. Being an experienced traveler, she’d packed her bag with precision – her one small bag for her entire three week stay. She had her textbooks for her 3-hour online class she’d log into on Thursday nights. She had her brand new scrubs for her shifts assisting on the labor and delivery ward. She had her special hair gel, to keep her naturally curly hair in check. That night, the plane sat on the tarmac for 5 hours before the flight was officially cancelled. Fortunately, she was automatically rebooked onto a new flight for the following morning. Her bag, she was promised, would also be transferred. It was not. 7,000 miles from home since Monday, with no creature comforts familiar to her. She’s been sad. So sad. But she has tried to stay on the brightside, acknowledging the kindness of strangers and recognizing that things could be much worse. She is grateful to be healthy. She is grateful for this experience. She is grateful for the difficult lesson brought on by losing something (albeit temporarily) has taught her.

The missing luggage has been found. Tomorrow it will be delivered to her. 

How much can change in a day!

And how much impact can the little things–clean socks, your own shampoo, have toward making you feel better? Feel safe? Feel at home,  even when you’re thousands of miles away.