After six months and six thousand miles of roaming the southern portion of the northwestern hemisphere we found a place we want to call home.After five hours, two complimentary glasses of orange juice from concentrate and two bowls of warmed mixed nuts we landed in place we’ve always called home.
Like fish out of water we experienced the odd sensation of being plopped on suburbia’s unsympathetic shores—our gills gasping and heaving for the restorative waters of Atitlán. After waking for the first time to the intermittent soliloquies of the central air and the side-by-side refrigerator/freezer, I (Courtney) shared a moment of empathy with those who claim to have been abducted by aliens. This is, of course, a characteristically drastic overstatement. But those of you who are bracing yourself for one of my over-the-top-can’t-take-a-breath rants on the ills of modernity, alienation, waste and consumption epitomized by shopping centers and planned developments, you may now release your grip and observe the blood as it flows back to your knuckles.
In fact, I am learning to be at peace as I drive down streets with misnomers like “Lakeview” and “Hillcrest.” And the bumper-to-bumper traffic has certainly given me a new appreciation for taillights—they are virtually non-existent in Guatemala. I’m no longer afraid of automated checkout lines at the grocery store. I even find myself humming to elevator music during phone conversations with computerized ladies who send me through endless mazes of button pushing.
The truth is that our suburban reprise has turned into somewhat of a suburban sabbatical. We’ve been basking in the comforts of warm showers, Cherry Garcia and a real mattress. Josh is recovering rapidly and enjoying the fit of his new skin. We are grateful for your prayers and words of inspiration. They have certainly sped the healing process. Suburbia just might be teaching us that two homes are better than one.
We’ll be venturing back to Guatemala in January, but in the mean time we have a small request to those of you who have made it this far . . . Many of you are well acquainted with our great Clifford-of-a-dog, Leroy. We are planning to bring Leroy down to Guatemala, but we need a few months to work out the details of this transfer. So, we are, once again, in search of a temporary home for him – maybe 3-4 months. If any of you out there could possibly host Leroy for just a few months, or if you know of anyone who might be willing to accommodate our large loveable pup, please email us at thosewilsons@gmail.com. Even if you have no interest in this matter, we’ll still look forward to hearing your comments.
Finally, happy early Thanksgiving to all of you residing in the States—we hope your cornucopias will overflow with love and peace.
