It has been one week since I returned from Oregon. Seven years had passed since my family moved away, and I was afraid, excited, but afraid. I wanted my childhood (well, one of many, but a very important) home to be exactly as I remembered it. We arrived in Portland, which was weird and wonderful as always despite the massive influx of Californians, but heading down to Corvallis was infinitely weirder. Aside from some small changes, the town was exactly the same. However, it was still different. There was a sense of nostalgia but it was underwhelming in a way. Perhaps it was because I felt nothing had changed. I was too familiar with the town. Even connecting with my childhood friends was strange, for even though we had grown up and are forging our own paths, there was a space between us. 
           Given that the trip was a mere four days long it makes sense that there was not enough time to truly explore and reconnect. However, those four days helped me find a peace within myself. That is the magic of the west coast. The air itself is cleansing, compared to the quick pace and stress of the east. As someone who has moved around constantly I have always been used to making home wherever I am, but lately I am unsure of my abilities. I am halfway through college and need to start thinking about my life outside of academia. Where will I go? What will I do? People always say that I have time, and I know I do, but I want to at least have a general inkling of what my future will be. To quote one of my favorite musicals Pippin by Stephen Schwartz "Gotta find my corner of the sky." However, the sky is open, endless, and ever changing. For now the winds will take me out west, but after then I cannot say. All will reveal itself in time, and you possess the ability to find home wherever you go. Have faith in yourself, and find peace in uncertainty. 

Open your mind, be brave, and be kind. 
- Noah

         Life presents us with many struggles, one of the worst being the difficulty in finding one's direction. Whether it be through finding your path in life, how to avoid being swallowed up by your own thoughts, or just coming up with an opening sentence, we all are lost from time to time. It appears that I have been at a junction of the three until now. An object at rest tends to stay at rest, so finding the inspiration for adventure was a necessity. However, I did not expect it to arrive so suddenly. That is one of the many joys of friendship. There are others, just like you, who are also lost. Fortunately some possess more of a drive than others, and jump in absolute glee at the suggestion of an excursion up north. 
         A little over an hour away from home and miles away from your struggles, there was a town embedded in the mountains. I had been there a few times before, but only for the sake of a college visit or a trip with family. Friends are also family, but a different kind. We're all strangers and siblings, constantly learning new things about each other but sharing a bond woven through trials and joys. Together you can walk along the beaten path and through dark tunnels to find the pieces each of you have lost. If you are one who needs a schedule to live, or are lost in a sea of troubles, take a chance and say yes to uncertainty. Accept it, and in doing so take the time to discover a new fragment of your person. Whether it be mountain towns, forests, cities, or just about anywhere other than where you are now, go there when you are lost, and bring your friends. 

Open your mind, be brave, and be kind.
- Noah