I got hit hard with homesickness in August. The whole month I was almost physically sick from missing my family, friends, favorite foods, being able to read, being able to get around easily, the whole shebang. I've been mildly homesick since then, but it hit HARD again these last two weeks. My parents were here in China, which was a great blessing (we had a GREAT time), but let me know how sick I really am when even having my parents here didn't heal the homesickness. I miss my parents so much, but I miss so much more than just my parents--friends, events, food, and all the rest of it.
I think the worst part about homesickness is it's also lonely. Last year when we lost our friend Kandice it was a shared grief--we were all crying together and experiencing grief together (even though differently--but sharing the grief). Homesickness is individual and really can't be shared, at least in my experience. The people who care most about you are so far away, and crying to them really doesn't make it better, since we are all hurting with the pain of missing each other. Often I don't share my homesickness, since I'm afraid I'll just contaminate others, and that's a sickness NO ONE wants.
Homesickness is also a weak helpless feeling. I'm supposed to be doing "GREAT THINGS" in China, not sitting in front of my computer missing home so much I could burst. I feel more helpless before homesickness, because when I get a cold I can take cold medicine, vitamins, etc, when I get an infection I take antibiotics, but there's no pill I can take to cure this homesickness.
But this month I've taken up that FB challenge to be thankful for at least one thing every day, and throughout these last few weeks I have become most thankful that I know the One who endured separation from his Home and his Father to provide an eternal home for me. I am thankful that my own homesickness is temporary, and am more motivated by it to earnestly lift up the students in my life who as of yet do not have an eternal home. Also I am thankful my parents were here, and able to see me through the most recent bout of extreme homesickness tears (they're pretty ugly) and offer consolation, help, and their presence.
