Driving Through Ireland

I sat on the chilly bus, ipod in my ears, eyes captivated by the scenery before me. The sun was starting to drift low in the autumn sky, becoming a beautiful shade of orange and purple and the bright rays of light were hitting my face as I stared at the breathtaking seascape before me.

Who would have thought I'd ever be spending Thanksgiving in Ireland? On my own?

Yet there I was doing just that. We'd just gotten back on the bus after exploring a castle. Yes a castle. And now we were driving the coast. The coast of Ireland.

Joshua Radin's voice was the background to what happened next.

I hadn't been thinking about him. It just snuck up on me. All of a sudden like a ton of bricks it hit my heart.

I won't be able to tell him about this. He will never be able to see this most stunning place.

It was a fleeting thought because the feeling that came next was overpowering.

I knew that at that very moment, so very far from family and home, he was with me. He was seeing it with me.

And he was proud of me. On my own, traveling the world. Reaching out and grabbing life. For being happy. For taking chances.

And at that moment I knew that he was with me, seeing everything I was. My own guardian angel, just as he said we were for him. He was with me on the streets of England, the cobblestone steps of Italy, the bridges of France and most especially driving through Ireland.

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Finals are always hard. They bring back the memories of my first finals week, the one where he died. Finals always mark the end of a semester, and for me the feeling of finality is felt stronger.

However they also mark a new beginning. And as I spend my hours studying, I'm filled with the anticipation for another beautiful new beginning.