## <center> “There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground; there are a thousand ways to go home again.” - Rumi  </center> ##


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I love this quote by Rumi but only in middle age have I come to fully understand it.  I’m writing this post from a small hotel in Portage, Indiana (with horribly spotty wi-fi) after driving all day from Saint Paul, Minnesota in the cold rain.  

This morning my wife and I loaded up our beagle, Amstel, into the car for his very first road trip.  As you can see from the picture below he even has a small suitcase filled with all of his favorite things.  Our final destination?  Columbus, Ohio to visit my family for a week. 

<center> ![](https://s21.postimg.org/dk20lalrb/image.jpg) </center>

We stopped for lunch in Osseo, Wisconsin at a restaurant called [Norske Nook.](https://norskenook.com/) They’re known for their award-winning pies but, as we discovered, their [lefse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lefse) wraps come in a close second. I had the chicken and spinach wrap and my wife tried the lefse-dilla (a Norwegian spin on the Mexican quesadilla).  

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It’s been thirteen years since I’ve laid eyes on the city I was born in.  I originally left in 1995 for a fresh start when I moved to Minnesota. Up until 2004, when my parent's moved to Florida, I made the trip back home at least once a year.  It still doesn’t seem possible that more than a decade has passed since I’ve been home. Honestly, it’s damn scary how fast all those years have gone.   

When I left Columbus at age twenty-four I had no real plan, just a bucket list of dreams and wisdom that matched my age (meaning nearly none.) Tomorrow, I’ll return to Columbus a middle-aged man.  I’ve realized many of those dreams my younger self coveted, most in ways I could've never foretold. This ring will always spark fond memories of how I achieved some of these dreams, and equally as important, all of the amazing people I've met here.

<center> ![](https://s15.postimg.org/fwhwzfxkb/image.jpg) </center>

In return for all those years, I also have quite a growing collection of gray hairs on my head and in my beard and wrinkles beginning to spider out across my face. The trade off has been worth it.  I can’t wait to see my family, I can’t wait to see my city with these older eyes. 

So far Amstel’s been a great traveler but he’s getting a little droopy eyed.  As a matter of fact so am I. We have seven hours’ drive ahead of us tomorrow so I think it’s time to bring this post to a close. We’ll be in Columbus for the following week visiting family, the neighborhood I grew up in, and a few of the people and places that hold significant memories.  I can’t wait to share some of it with you.  

## <center> Have a wonderful evening Steemians. Good night! </center> ##

<center> ![](https://s8.postimg.org/enbqzlekl/image.jpg) </center>

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*I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast.  If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at [my website.](http://www.ericvancewalton.net) Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared. 
 
 
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# <center> Eric Vance Walton - Media </center> #



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