Friday, 25 November, 2022 – Elias made his connection in Tokyo and will be landing in Chicago in the next hour. I will update this post, when I have eyes on him and he is back home. But I thought I would start this, so I could include Elias’s text from 3:00 a.m. this morning.
Elias: Made it. Literally dead sprint for over half a mile and caused some carnage but on the plane. Had 25 minutes to get off, go through security, and run to gate.
Not only was I relieved to hear he made it onto his flight, I appreciated the image of him sprinting through the terminal and joking about leaving carnage in his wake.
It is later, now. 12:37 a.m., as a matter of fact. David and I picked up Elias at 9:40 p.m.; miraculously, his checked bag made it all the way to Kansas City. And then we went for a very late dinner at The Peanut, in downtown Overland Park.
He is tired, and no longer starving, and glad to be home, I think. A lot of things are going to feel new and strange for a while, but a few days of rest will help. I hope he will be able to sleep soon, and deeply. He does not have a job to return to, or a routine to resume, so maybe that will help him get his feet under him again.
He’s full of interesting things to share and I want to listen for as long, or as much as he wants to talk. While there is a lot I did not understand, or get correct, in my 123 days of trying to share in his journey, I am glad that I tried to keep up with where he was. I hope Elias will enjoy reading these posts someday, and be reminded of stories and experiences he can share with other people. Writing every day made me feel closer to him, even if what I wrote was not always interesting or insightful. I learned a lot writing about E’s travels. And I am grateful he is back home, safe and sound.
I also know that soon, he is going to be off to new adventures of his own. I know he wants to make his own home, somewhere in the world. Where David and I live is home to him, but not exactly home, either. I know and understand that, I think. Still, even if we are a way station for now, a place to rest before moving on, I am grateful he can rest with us, for however long he needs.
