To The Left, To The Left :: Seattle, Washington - Home Is A Fluid Concept
September 1st, 2007
To the left, to the left. Some of you will get it. Others might not. It’s ok either way.
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4000+ miles. 20 days of travel. 10 states visted. 8 generous homes. 1 Honda that defied the odds.
Hello, Seattle.
It has been a long trip, but every mile was worth it. I met so many amazing people, and all of them were unique. Every time I travel, at the very end of the trip, I am always grateful that I did it, that I stepped away from comfort, stepped away from easy, and put one foot in front of the other into something unknown. Even though this time I was in my own country, I found it no less amazing.
People are so incredibly different from one another. California is nothing like Arkansas. Texas is nothing like Indiana. I’m glad I got to see so many different states and meet some many people.
I loved having Will with me from New Mexico to California. He is one of my dearest friends in the world and I think it’s safe to say that he teaches me more than almost anyone. The Grand Canyon was nothing like we’d ever seen. The hike down and up wasn’t easy, but it was good. There are few things like sleeping at the very bottom of the country while looking up at millions of stars, so many stars that it is almost impossible to pick out constellations.
Having Jess and Daley ride from Riverside to Seattle was really wonderful. Both of them are so easy going and great to travel with. I am grateful to both of them for putting up with my idiosyncrasies.
Many thanks to all of you who gave me shelter and meals. You all were incredibly hospitable and I can’t thank you enough. If you are ever in need of anything, or if you’re ever in the Northwest, then please do look me up so we can get together. I owe you a meal. And probably lots and lots of money.
Sorry Laura that I lost your map and that I accidentally stole your iPod cord. I’m pretty awesome.
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And so many thanks to all of you who took time to travel along with me and put up with my inconsistent writing habits. I hope that you got some enjoyment out of it. The internet is a very weird place, but for what it is, I am grateful for it. It’s so very odd how you can have ideas of who people are on the internet, actually meet them, and find out they are so much more wonderful than you had imagined them being.
So thank you. It was an honor to have you along.
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And now I sit here alone. I’ve been in Seattle for about a week now, getting to know new people, figuring out the metro system, and perusing the city. It’s all very daunting at times, but I just keep telling myself One step at a time. I begin graduate school on Tuesday to study theology. A new season is about to begin.
I’m ready. I think.
Tags: graduate school, to the left, travel
I LOVE Seattle, one of my favourite cities….
Hey Joshua - I’ve been a fan of your blog for a while, and your header today “Home is a Fluid Concept” made me smile. I’m moving from Ohio to Michigan today. Nice to know I’ve got company. Thanks!
I’ve enjoyed your journey eve if it was only via internet. I felt like I was a part of it. Thanks bud. And good luck!
Are we ever ready for the next season?
So far, I’ve never been. And the whole “one step at a time” has been so vital to me lately. Good tok now God walks with us every single step (not to be cliche, but only to be truthful.)
Live long the adventure.
How dare you hold my Space Needle in your Hand! I am so glad that you arrived safely. Have a wonderful year. Be more responsible with your assignments there than you were with mine. If you ever want my presidential candidate article and the pictures you selected, I will need a snail mail address. Love you bunches, Nan
Glad you made it! Look forward to the blogs from Washington.
I’m excited for this next season of life for you, bro. Seminary is sweet…don’t get stuck studying too much…live…make sure you’re always with people (I’m sure you will be)…have an outlet from which to use/test/reject what you’re learning…
can’t wait to hang in November! find a good concert for us…
It’s been nice and sunny lately too– a good welcome!
I’m still working on making Seattle home. My roommate and I just moved to a new apartment, but we would love to have you over for dinner sometime - a welcome to the city from some other midwesterners. If you haven’t yet, the Seattle Public Library is wonderful. Find the nearest one as soon as possible. It is netflix for books (and CDs and DVDs and sheet music and art and cookbooks and…everything.)
i am sure you will quickly find all the hidden gems in Seattle, but if you need a virtual tour guide let me know. You are in my mother land and i miss it greatly.
Thank you for taking us along with you, even if only virtually. You really did make us feel like we were along for the ride.
Enjoy your new city, be safe, and tell us all about it!
it’s been such a pleasure to travel with you, joshua. best wishes to you throughout the year as you study… and more importantly draw closer to the Creator.
I stumbled across you blog somewhere in the middle of your trip and subscribed to it. I Just want to say that I’ve enjoyed you pictures and words throughout.
Agh! I hate typos, and I made three! I was just typing too fast, I promise I have really good grammar.
Hey, man. It was great hanging out with you when you were in Riverside at Lauren’s. Glad the trip was so awesome. Best of luck in the northwest!
have a great time! maybe one day i will go to the states and you will have to provide food and shelter for me because i’ve bombed the moolah on the air ticket.
i’m sure you will have a great time in school. =)
Thanks for sharing your trip…I’ll be praying for your time in Seattle. Been there once…go shoot the exterior of the EMP…texture, color, angles…cool place…plus it memorializes 90’s grunge by placing it on a timeline of music history…which makes me feel old.
Anyway, thanks…sorry I missed you, Lauren and Daley when you came through Riverside. Thanks for taking back my sets to the dude in Orange County.
I’ve been to this here blog about four times. Two of those times I’ve read “To the left to the left” and two times the song was stuck in my head for days and days.