Back in the great state of Indiana.

I didn’t realize how much I needed this break until I got home. As my advisor told me “Do a lot of nothing.” Felt great doing a lot of nothing. Caught up on the new season of Modern Family, The Crazy Ones, the rest of Breaking Bad, Walking Dead and a couple of movies. Best way to relax with great laughs from great shows.

Three more papers to write and two finals to study for and this semester will be long over with. With the week long break – which you will learn to appreciate – I was more than ready to get back to the Crawfordsville, see my friends, and finish this semester strong. Being home, I was able to see some friends from high school and they all were not looking forward to getting back to school. I could not and cannot understand this. If you don’t yearn to be in class, then why are you in school at all? Talking to my friends over break, they all had the same to say. “I want to be back at Wabash in class getting it done.” Of course they want to be home with family, but they agreed  with the fact that its special at Wabash and we have something to look forward to while there.

I am glad I made my decision to attend Wabash. It’s not out of selfishness for if I would have picked another school, Would I have made friends such as I have. It all came with a package choosing Wabash; the friends, intensity in the classroom, and level of excellence we are held to “in and outside the classroom” is far from present in the other schools I had in mind.

After waking up at 5:50 in Crawfordsville, where it was twelve degrees, heading up to Indie airport, flying to Atlanta and having to deboard, running and jumping on a train to get from concourse A to B, I was finally able to make it to my flight home.

Thanks to Pat for waking up and taking me Indie.

I sat down in my assigned seat, 30 C an aisle seat. Before I got comfortable and knocked out, I saw a blonde women continue walking towards me so I stood up. In her southern accent she said “I’ll let my husband take the window seat, he enjoys it.” They both looked to be in their mid 50’s, but her face looked long and eyes a bit heavy. He took his window seat, her the middle one, and me my aisle seat once again.

Before take off I began talking to them about trivial things such as coach seating and where each of us were from. They were coming from South Carolina and it was also not their first flight of the day. I could see she was a bit tired all the while still relaxed. I leaned over to look through the window for take off when her husband grabbed her hand, looked into her eyes and gave her a reasuring smile. I knew right away that this was not a trip of liesure for them. They were on a journey and I was beginging to have an idea what it was.

I woke up from my nap at the best time, the stewardess was distrubuting drinks and snacks. Cranberry juice and some Biscoff cookies, kind of an odd combo but it worked. Not long after the pilot prepared the cabin and crew for landing. I once again started talking to the couple next to me and she told me that she was coming to M.D. Anderson. This further confirmed my idea of why they were coming to Houston, but I did not want to presume. I asked if she was coming to see a family member there and she told me that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer about a month ago.

I immediately felt anguished and gloomy. I was right. I tried to think of words to console her, but best I could think of was “People come from around the world to the hospitals here.” Trying to make up for my not so comforting words, I told her I hoped the best for her and hoped she would back home for Thanksgiving.  She said she was not sure if she would becuase it could between 2 and 7 days. I quickly ruffled through my back pack for a piece of paper and wrote my name and phone number. I folded it up, handed it to her and told her that they were invited to my family’s Thanksgiving if she was still in Houston on Thursday. She was very thankful and I could see her face lighten up just a bit. She shook my hand and told me her name was Anne, and her husband’s Rob.

Anne then asked me as she looked out the window if they are “two different citeis.” She was referring to Downtown Houston and the Galleria because of the huge gap between them. I jokingly said “Downtown is whats left of Enron and the Galleria is the Rich Folk Firms.” As is got up and walked away I told her again that I hoped the best for her. I still hope and pray that she will be back in her home, South Carolina, for Thanksgiving safe and and in great health with her family. I was reasured that she would be ok when I saw this as I left the airport. I’m sure she was in better spirits when she saw it as well.

I Hope Anne and Rob saw this.

Welcome to my home Anne and Rob and I hope she serves you well. Really happy to be home right now.

Congrats to Wabash Cross Country RedPack for making it to 21 in the nation!

Got up at 6:45 and jumped on a fan bus heading to Hanover College for the Cross Country NCAA Division III Nationals. THANKS FOR DRIVING JOEL! I’ve never been to a cross country meet and this being my first, I think I got exposed to it all at nationals. As for everyone else, it was not their first rodeo. Once the runners were out of sight, spectators and fans ran to the next point to cheer them on. Most of the Wabash Guys, we just followed them and cheered “GO REDPACK, LETS GO WABASH!”

Fabian, only a couple meters before the chute. Good Job Fabian!

I always find myself looking at license plates, and today I saw some from New Mexico, Pennsylvania, TEXAS, Virginia, Kentucky, and even one from Canada. (Not Really) When they say Nationals, they mean it. MIT, Johns Hopkins, Trinity University, Washington University, they came from everywhere. The ambiance and energy from the fans was surprising, probably because I had never been to a cross country meet.

Get to wake up early once more tomorrow morning. Usually don’t want to but I’m going home tomorrow so I might not even be able to sleep.

Thanks for reading.