Meg's Musings

Lost

I can remember my phone number from the first house I conciously lived in. I can lay out the back yard of that house. I can remember my high school boyfriend's phone number. I can remember my grandmother's zipcode. I remember the license plate number of my first car.

But I just found out I lost something.

I loaded Google earth last night. David and I wandered around the earth for a while. He ended up in south Africa. I asked him to go to Zimbabwe for me (I was putting on makeup to go to the pub night). He did and told me I could probably find the rooftop restaurant I talk about.

Today I opened it up. I found Strachen's. I teared up. Then I looked for the Univeristy of Zimbabwe, figuring I could probably find my apartment building.

But I was wrong. I couldn't even be sure I found the university.

So I went to Egypt, hoping to find the school or my apartment. I couldn't do either.

I grieve for Zimbabwe in a way I do not for Egypt. They were and are too different to fit into a catagory together. It's still a bit suprising that they inhabit the same continent.

There's an activity that I did last week and every year with my classes in the Our Town unit. I ask my students to draw a map of their towns--the things that mean home and well being and routine and LIFE to them. In the end, we discuss the issue of memory and impression as opposed to documentation and fact. No one could ever follow those maps, but I think that's not important. Instead, all the important things coexist right next to each other, safe and real. All the rest falls away.

I usually don't mind that loss. I like the effect of softening. I think God gave us a gift when he allowed us to be forgetful. But today it aches a little.

posted by Me @ 16:33