Who am I?

I came to a realization today.

This summer I will be away LONGER from home than any other time in my life.

I've been on trips here and there without my parents. Last year I went to Europe for 16 days. I didn't feel homesick. I actually wanted to stay in Italy. But this summer I will be gone for much longer than 16 days.

2 things that concern me about being away this summer

• Will I be homesick?
• If I'm not homesick, is that normal?

The 2nd part is what is troubling me. Is it ok to not be homesick at all? Is it possible to be away from home for long periods of time without feeling a longing to come back home?

My mom shared her experience of leaving home for the first time. She had to leave home because there were no jobs available for her. She wasn't able to come back home until about 10-12 years later. The first couple years were hard for her because she didn't have telephone access. Only snail mail was available (thank God for email). My mother said that even when I was born I did not take away her homesickness. It was even worse. She was longing to come back to her brothers and sisters and especially her papa.

I probably don't feel it now, but I will feel homesick. This is a good time to stretch out my wings and soar for a bit. After all, I'll be done with college and will be moving out next year. This is a good time to see how well I do and this will help prepare me for the future.

What's the longest you've been away from home? How did you deal with it?