Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (Is that the Saying?)

Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Ron Cepek. I blog biannually. That can mean twice per year or once every two years. In this case, I think I'm averaging about twice a year. I am speaking at a retreat this weekend, and as I sit here at my computer, I am flooded with a lot of memories of a lot of people. I have been in Seattle now since the end of July, so only a few months. It's a cool city. I just looked at my calendar for the first time in weeks. It is crazy. I flipped back a few pages to the spring months when I was a full time youth minister. My calendar played a much larger role in my life then. Yesterday, I sat at a computer for seven hours doing school work. Today, and the next couple of days I will do the same, except I will be putting the finishing touches on four messages for this weekend's retreat. I don't talk to a whole lot of people these days. It's weird. When I get around people, I'm like a kid at Christmas. I talk a mile a minute, I laugh, my heart starts racing, and it is confirmed to me that I get energy from such interaction. I am a people person. And for 31 years I slowly and surely built a lot of relationships back in the burgh. Now, I ask myself the question, did I take that for granted. It is so weird not being known. I live in an apartment on a college campus. I eat in a college dining hall at least two to three meals per week. I do own a home back in Western, PA, so it just feels kind of strange the life I'm living here. I am in the process of applying to grad. school for counseling. In the meantime I am working on beefing up that GPA from many moons ago at Geneva College when I had a lot of fun, but didn't exactly tear it up academically. I also work part time driving around taking pictures of houses for mortgage companies (see picture). So on days like that, the only interactions I have are with people who wonder what I'm doing on their lawn with a camera. I did, however get to use Spanish one day last month as I told a gentleman "Nessisito tomar una fotografia para su casa par mi trabajo" which is a really butchered way of saying, "I need to take a picture of your house for my work." Oh and I said, "Lo siento" which is "I'm sorry". So I learned something in college. All this to say, life is much different now. My wife is the most wonderful woman I know. I love my pooky bear more and more each and every day, no doubt! Marriage has been bliss. Jenn encourages me as I search for purpose that was so much more attainable while working in full time ministry than it is now with so much alone time. I am certainly discovering who I am. And I am realizing that my significance is not wrapped up in what I do. Crazy different though! Nobody out here even knows who sydney Crosby or Mario Lemieux are! Praise the good Lord, I've been able to see just about every game though! Steelers and Nittany Lions too! Boom! I do miss you, if you're reading this. I miss having people constantly in my face. I longed to get away from it, but now I miss the noise. I am probably blogging more for me, but, I just want all the yinzers to know that I love em! Miss you guys. Yoi and double Yoi.