T'filot Haderech

Tonight I pray for a good night's sleep, free of the tossing and turning that has afflicted me the last week or so.
And a clear mind to remember all the little things I'm bound to forget: my cell phone and camera chargers, my water bottle that I need to wash in the morning, the box of checks on my dresser.

Tomorrow I pray for many things:
An easy goodbye to my family, dog and house that have hosted me so lovingly this summer.
An easy trip through Lambert, with no gate agents yelling at me about my overweight bags.
Safe and easy travels through Chicago and onto New York.
A brief, if not easy, journey through LaGuardia with my overweight luggage and guitar in tow.
A friendly cab driver who does not cheat me out of any money and helps me put my suitcases in the car at the airport and take them out once at my apartment.
A welcoming feeling as I walk through the lobby of my building.
A peaceful, calm mind as I slowly turn the key to my apartment.
My apartment waiting for me just as I left it, only a little dustier.
A shiny kitchen floor, free of "visitors" of any kind.
A successful attempt to put my window air-conditioning units back in my windows.
A speedy yet thorough cleansing of the entire apartment to free it from the dust.
A feeling of home, comfort, and happiness.
A feeling of completeness and purpose to energize me through the challenging, exciting year ahead.
A feeling of peace.

It's been a wonderful summer in St Louis, my hometown, my favorite place in the world.
But new doors can't open until you close old ones, even temporarily.
It's time to head back, scary and isolating as it may be.

As silly as I feel for posting an entry that is so overly-emotional about a simple trip back to school, it feels good to put my prayers out into the void. NYC is rough and difficult, and heading back there to be around people who love it so much is even more rough and difficult.

Please send love and good energy my way tonight and tomorrow, as I begin my 3rd year of school and continue on this journey to my best self. May this school year be the best year yet, full of learning and laughter, friendship and happiness, music and good health, goodness and peace.

Ken y'hi ratzon.