Photo courtesy of Pixabay

No Place Like Home

She pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned off the engine. She didn’t bother looking for traffic as she opened the door and got out—no one would be out here. She walked around the back of the rental and stepped off the white rock road into the flat field. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. It felt so good to be where she could breathe.

She should have been back years ago. She swore the day she left that she would visit once a year. But . . . life. What was a temporary move turned into a long-term existence far away from the place that made her soul sing. Not an unhappy life. Until this year she could not have asked for anything more. But now that she was alone, it was time to return to the home that her heart claimed, no matter what her address had said for the last forty-three years.

The sun was slowly sinking, leaving behind trails of colorful waves streaming across the wide-open sky. Oh, how she had missed this. She slowly lowered herself to the ground and just watched. She had no where to be. No list to check off. No one who was waiting for her. She could stay here forever, however short forever would be. She dismissed the doctors when they told her not to travel. She told them clearly, she wasn’t traveling, she was going home. She closed her eyes once more.

Finally, home.

2-10-26 SLC AUTHOR2

Shannon Leach is a creativity coach and freelance author who believes hard chapters are not the end of the story. As she chases words and light across multiple genres, she tells transformational stories that explore the rocky path from struggle to redemption. Her work has been featured in Guideposts books and devotions as well as multiple Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and is the founder of the nonprofit The Fostered Gift.

Read More of Shannon's Story

Tell Me Your Story

guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest

Continue the Search

Looking for more stories and adventures? No matter which way you go, I pray the next set of words will be exactly what your heart was looking for.

Dream a Little Dream

Our dreams tell stories about our lives. What dreams do you live out in your story? Bigger question—do you have to?

Try Again

We all know that God forgives our mistakes. But how are we affecting His mission in this world when we don't forgive ourselves?

Words and Light

My writing journey has led me straight to you. We can find light in hard times by sharing our struggles—one word at a time.

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:2-3 NIV

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Subscribe for More
ARH 2023 LOGO BLACK LETTERING