my constants.

Have you ever seen the episode of Lost where Desmond explains that Penny is his constant? Through all of his time and space travels, Penny always lets him know where he is. she brings him back. she keeps him grounded. she reminds him of home.

she is his home. 

a few years back, during the LOST craze that Stephen and i went through, we adopted this phrase.

Stephen will be my husband. he is a constant. 

i realize i’ve been talking a whole lot lately about my discovery of the importance of permanence in my life. this post is no exception. 

it’s tough being away from stephen. and if you would have told me 4 years ago that i would say the following, i would have laughed in your face, but it’s tough being away from phoenixville. 

i miss the church i fell in love with. i miss the people in that church. i miss bridge street. i just miss it. but it will always be a part of my life.

a really important part.

in phoenixville, i met my future husband. i sold my first photograph. i learned about God. and love. and people. i owe a whole lot to that place. but it’s not my constant.

every place i’ve lived, every friend i’ve had, and every lesson i’ve learned has played an important role in my time on this earth. but none of these are constants.

with every place i’ve lived and every friend i’ve had, my family has always been there. they are a constant.

being home again forces me to think a whole lot about the last time i lived here- high school. i constantly find myself remembering and comparing now to 4 years ago. 

the people. the school. the church. the relationships.

but it’s apples to oranges. i am nowhere near who i was last time i lived here. i’ve grown up. i’ve been through college. i’m engaged. i’ve moved on. 

there are always those times when i miss what once was. but those are immediately followed by my gratitude of what is- the constants. 

most importantly, in everything that i’ve done and everywhere that i’ve been, God has reminded me of who i am. he has been there through the best and the worst, and loved me the same. he is a constant.

so as i begin to think about getting married, and moving once again, i can’t help but think about the constants in my life. the things that never change. 

and i realize that your constants are always your biggest joys. 

what are your constants?