Roots

I am a nomad. All my life I’ve been moving from one place to the next with no real place to call my hometown. The question "where are you from?" has always frustrated/confused me since I’m not too sure what to say. The place I was born? Where I lived the longest? Where I am living at the time…which often didn’t feel like home. This whole situation makes me feel like I have no roots. Most friends are in and out of my life within three years. And with all the moving I’ve lost contact with so many friends. It’s the norm of me.

My joy is that twice in the past two months I have reconnected with two long-lost friends. The first is my dear friend Anna. In elementary school we were the best of friends, inseparable. We shared a love for books and my little ponys. Great times. I was able to call her just before coming to Japan. It was so good to reconnect, we share so many of the same struggles and thoughts because of being "military brats". Anna put it best when she said, "Hurray! I'm not a freak! Well, alright, I am a freak, but I'm not alone. Which is really what matters." The other friend is from high school, Brian. It’s been five years since we last talked. Crazy cause at one time we shared everything.

Funny how life goes, these were both two of my strongest friendships ever. And yet I lost them both. Why do we do that, lose connection with best friends…people who become apart of our community? Whatever the reason I am glad both are back in my life. They are the closest I come to having roots.