love is going to lead you by the hand

Yesterday was my last day in New Orleans.

Lindsey wandered around the city with me all morning. As we walked through the Vieux Carre, we had buttermilk drops and coffee at Wink's, the bakery owned and operated by Dwight Henry, who played Wink in Beasts of the Southern Wild (and was also in 12 Years a Slave); we sat on Jackson Square and watched the birds and tourists; we visited the Presbytere, which houses a Louisiana State Museum with an incredible exhibits on Katrina and Mardi Gras; we had mimosas as we walked through the French Market, where I bought a little fleur-de-lis charm; we eventually drove around town and sat along the shore of Lake Pontchartrain for a while, enjoying the waves lapping along the cement steps over by UNO.

After she went into work, I went to Audubon Park and enjoyed some quiet time with the Tree of Life, a gorgeous nearly 300 year old unencumbered live oak. I was grateful that no one else was there to ruin my peace. I walked the labyrinth one last time. My heart skipped a beat as I rounded the final curve toward the center, so I decided to walk it backwards to exit it. My heart skipped a beat again as I neared the end.

I really love Louisiana.

I packed my car yesterday afternoon and spent the evening with my amazing host family, laughing and joking as always. Lindsey and I enjoyed some final brews (for now) at the Avenue Pub, and I enjoyed a final, dark drive down the live oak lined St. Charles Ave.

I never had a snow ball. There is no way in a lifetime of living here that I would be able to see, smell, taste, and hear it all, much less in a single year. As much as I'm mourning my imminent departure, I suppose I kind of like a few things left undone, because it means I can always look forward to coming back and visiting.

I'm really excited about moving to Virginia.

Some moments last forever, but some flare out with love, love, love.

I'm really, really grateful that such great love leads me to all of these wonderful places.