Storm Stories: Behind the Clouds

For those of you wondering what has been happening while I have been hosting Storm Stories…

LET ME TAKE A LONG LAST LOOK

by TheNorEaster

I went to the movies for the last time last night.  I love movies.  I remember how excited I was when the new theater went up.  No longer would I have to drive thirty minutes–upstate, no less–just to see a movie.  I must have seen a million movies at that new theater, with a handful of people who are still very dear to me.

But when the film was over, just after midnight, I stood in the lobby and looked around.  The walls were vacant.  There were no promotional posters hanging from the ceiling, either.  No lines at the snack bar.  No teenagers lighting up cigarettes the instant their parents had dropped them off and drove away.  No cool kids on hot dates.

Just me.  At the movies.

Staring at the table where I had my last date with my ex-girlfriend.

The game room where I played doubles with Mike on some hunting game that isn’t even there anymore.

The table where Chris had accidently knocked over his bag of popcorn…You ever see a whole bag of fresh popcorn scattered on the floor?  I always thought that was a funny site.  And when I thought of the poor clerk who had to clean it up, I laughed even harder.

Because popcorn on the floor always reminds me of the time I went to the movies with my brother and my sister and my cousin.  Summer.  Florida.  High school.  Pitch black inside that theater.  Walking down the dark aisle.  Trying to find a seat as the previews were starting.  And I was so amazed at the coming attraction–whatever it was–that I ran smack dab into my cousin and my popcorn spilled all over the aisle floor.  There was so much popcorn on the floor you couldn’t even see the floor.

To this day, that cracks me up.

But, yeah.  I…I’m not in high school anymore.

I’m an adult.  And I’m broke.

Late last month, my pay got cut sixty percent because of the recession.  I cannot afford to stay where I am, not with my tank so low on heating oil in the middle of winter and my rent so high.  Not with my cupboards quickly becoming vacant and my stomach knowing hunger.  And my bills are suddenly a very scary thought.

I have spent most of the month planning and packing what little I do own.  Yes, I got caught in a storm while hosting Storm Stories–which is why I could not comment nearly so much as I would have liked on these Stories.

The last Essay has been scheduled for tomorrow, which wraps up the whole series and will also tell you why I started Storm Stories in the first place.  Unfortunately, there were two more anonymous StoryTellers who had requested that I write about their Storms.  I cannot do that now.  Thankfully, they were both nice enough to understand why.

The life that I was trying for is over.

So I’m going to build a new one.

I am leaving my friends, my family, the only church where I have ever truly felt welcome, and the region I have called home for my entire life.

Where am I going?

A place where the sun also rises.

I’m excited.

And scared to death.

But, I am a child of God.

That means I live by faith that He will see me through this storm as He has all the others.

God has a delightfully frightening way of caring for His children.  And I am convinced that He orchestrates circumstances in such a way that demands more faith than we ever thought we had, that we may grow more we ever thought we would.

I have a place to stay–with people whom I love very much–until I can get back on my feet.

I may be a teacher or an editor.  Or I might just see about going to seminary.

I leave on February 1st.  After church, of course.

I don’t know, now, precisely what my future holds.

But in that mystery and with such uncertainty there is hope.

And movies.

 

Thank you, StoryTellers, for having the courage to share your Storms.  Your words have inspired me to keep going through this latest storm.  And now, anytime I must endure a storm in this mad world–your words will be with me.  On any day, at any moment, I have your inspiration at my fingertips.  And so does everyone else.

You are my friends…my family…and you have my heartfelt thanks.

See you There.

In Faith And Hope With Love In Christ,

~Nor

PS:  Drop you a line when I land!