Some people will not be able to relate to the concept of feeling homesickness, but it is a feeling that has been with me since childhood. I would go to spend the night with a friend, have a wonderful time all day, and then at bedtime get overwhelmed by wanting to be home. More than once, the mother of a friend had to take me into her arms or into her bed to comfort me.
Homesickness is a feeling akin to that of not being wanted or safe, but it has a more subtle tug on the heart.
I can feel homesick for a space, like my office at 1111 Main Street, or an experience, like a day at Still Waters Retreat Center or watching So You Think You Can Dance.
Missing the beloved pets of friends or family will send me to the ice cream parlor or the auto repair shop to pet the resident cat there.
| Here is Zeus, one of my kitty friends…. |
Even the smell of certain foods (oatmeal cookies, curry noodles, corn bread) can cause my heart to hurt. I can feel that longing for those who have passed, one who is living but not where I currently am, and sometimes even for those I have never met.
While I understand not everyone feels such angst of missing, I am also keenly respectful that the feeling is a symptom of my not being fully present in the current moment. Darn, it is awkward to find yourself where you wish you were not, even if you are where you choose to be.
One of the best things I have learned to do when overcome by my emotions is to tap. Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, or simply “tapping,” has become a very welcome addition to my energy medicine toolbox.
If you are not familiar with tapping, and would like to learn more, let me know. If you already know about it, I hope you are getting the benefits of using it, too, even if you never feel homesick.
For now, I will go for a bike ride—another of my favorite ways to stay present moment….
