Church comfort

New places.

New people.

New life.

Same church.

I've been to many new places in my life, from Washington, D.C. to Burmingham, Alabama and even to Kissimmee, Florida. Every place is different. There are new people to meet, new places to explore and a new lifestyle to find. But in all my travels, one thing remains the same.

Church.

In Burmingham, I felt right at home at a church service, despite the fact that it was not a Catholic church, not predominately white as mine is, and by no means was it like my hometown service. Here there was singing, loud praises and an amazing choir that could definitely "raise the roof." But I was home. The people surrounding me were friendly, and, like me, they were there for one thing. To praise God.

Fast forward two years to Washington, D.C. Two weeks of long days, cold weather and homesick feelings. And yet, I found home there too. As we stepped into the Catholic church across from the Capitol, I felt one thing: comfort. This was where I belonged. And, even though I was thousands of miles from home, I felt like I was right there, right where I was meant to be.

Still, another year later, I found that same comfort in Kissimmee. Down in Florida for work and stressed to the max, a co-worker and I decided to attend Sunday mass at a local church. Again, this was nothing like my hometown service. The church and congregation were huge, children were screaming and a large choir was belting out the hymns. But amidst the chaos, I felt peaceful. I was perfectly content sitting in that pew, miles from home and feeling not a hint of homesickness.

Now, as I begin a new life in Colorado, I'm faced with meeting new people, exploring new places, and starting what I consider to be a "new" life. It's exciting, yes, but I'm scared to death. I find myself feeling lonely, out of sync and homesick. But I know there's one thing that will always make me feel better, one thing that will always bring me home.

My church.