Changes

Today brought about change. Change is never easy anyway. We have to let go of the old or what we have gotten used to, and venture forward to the next thing. Lodging is very difficult to find in this city, unless you are willing to rent a hotel room it is in fact extremely difficult. I believe I have mentioned this a time or two in this journey. When calling around to make the arrangements for a place to stay, my dear friends girlfriend agreed to have me even though her apartment is very tiny. I would sleep on an air mattress. She wouldn’t be here until Wednesday. So I figured I would give her a day to recover from her trip and come on Thursday. It really worked out well because I wouldn’t be able to stay at the convent from Thursday on anyway. They had already booked the room. As it turned out, my friend’s girlfriend had something come up, so they had to overnight the key to me. I received it yesterday. God’s perfect timing. So today, I said goodbye to the Sister’s, the beautifully warm and inviting room and bed, and the safety net of the convent. I let go of what was. All I had to do was walk 8 blocks up with my bags in tow. I think I looked like a homeless person that hadn’t let go of all her stuff yet. For all intense and purposes I was alone. I had no body keeping tabs on my whereabouts. I didn’t sign a paper of what time I left and what time I would return. I walked slowly and reflectively to my next “home.” I went to the address I was given. It was an empty lot. There was nothing there. It was gated off from anyone entering. I felt that fear overwhelm me. This isn’t looking to good. I called my friend, he had made an error. I was on the wrong block. Whew! I was thinking that perhaps God wanted me to fully understand homelessness and be sleeping in the vacant lot. So I moved one block over, yup, sure enough there was a building there, a building that I could not get into because I did not have a key. I had a key to the apartment, but not to the front door. I call my friend, fear and panic begin to set in again. “You have to wait for someone to come out so you can go in.” Okay, this is not the nice everything working out sort of thing I was expecting. God had planned it though. I make the plans, he directs the steps. If it was all rosy, warm and sunshine, I don’t think I would learn as much. So this is where the true learning begins. This apartment isn't the nice, warm inviting place like the convent, but it is where I am laying my head at night, and I am thankful.