Silver Linings

I left home on Dec 17 and tonight is my last night before I start the 24 hour drive home.

It’s been months and it does feel that way. Hard to believe that my visit to my cousins in New Jersey was the same trip as this. They were my first night out of Boston in New Jersey as I headed south eleven weeks ago.

My plan was to leave New Orleans a week ago which was the Friday before Fat Tuesday. The Universe had other ideas.

The pickup truck attempted to get through the yellow light. He didn’t make it. And he ended up driving away at the end of the evening.

Plans for after New Orleans before the incident.

Actual plans.

I needed to stay in New Orleans until the insurance adjuster took a look at things. At that point I’d be able to make some decisions. I was here an extra week and had to remove the planned drive taking me further out west to the edge of Texas.

I did, however, end up getting stranded in New Orleans through Mardi Gras. I reconnected with friends I hadn’t seen in 30 years and got to see a small glimpse as to how some of my life may have been if I decided to stay in New Orleans all those years ago. It was really special.

This is Tommy. A friend from 30 years ago… and still a friend today!	This is basket 14 at City Park Disc Golf Course in New Orleans that I had the opportunity to play.
These are friends from Boston that were down in New Orleans on Krewe of Tuck.	And these are my friend from Boston throwing beads at the Krewe of Tuck parade.

And although the car is totaled and I missed out on seeing some new places and visiting some owners I was looking forward to seeing, the silver linings continued to show themselves.

It’s time to finally head out. I leave tomorrow and decided to stop at a local bar for a cold beer on my last night. It was a bar around the corner that I had visited on one of my first nights here. I sat outside again. It was very peaceful. I thought about the past week… and the past eleven weeks.

As I finished my drink and went to leave, the bartender asked how I was doing. I told her everything was really good. My car is totaled and everything is really good.

I am feeling very grateful.