"Why do you go away?

So that you can come back. 

So that you can see the place you came from 

with new eyes and extra colors. 

And the people there see you differently, too. 

Coming back to where you started 

is not the same as never leaving." 

Terry Pratchett

Though sometimes, 

our journeys and those differences are not very clear.

~~~~~~~~~~

I drove over 4,000 miles in one week.

I'm tired.

I came back to a dog who contracted 

hemorrhagic gastroenteritis 

while in the kennel -

and, almost a week later, 

is still vomiting blood 

(and other mucousy fluids you can imagine 

but don't want to see) 

and getting IV fluids.

I'm praying my other dog doesn't get it as well;

it's viral, 

so there's no telling.

I came back to work

where little has changed;

in fact,

there'll be another move next week,

so nothing is settled there either.

Much of the peace and serenity I found on the Plains

seems to have been left there.

This is the part where I confess

I wish I had been left there too.