My StoryPeople print

Before my friend Travis left Abingdon for grad school, he gave each of us in the group a gift that, as I recall, summed up a part of the friendship we shared with him. My gift was a StoryPeople print called “Different Plans.” The story in the print is of conversation similar to one that Travis and I probably had a million different times. From the back porch of Bellas to numerous stretches of river (usually between the rapids), we talked about that particular subject often.

Travis finished his degree this Spring and just returned from a month in Africa. I’m five weeks from boarding a plane to begin my Peace Corps service in Kazakhstan. As I prepare to pack away my StoryPeople print, I can’t help but reflect on how well Travis had me pegged with that particular gift, but I’ll let you judge for yourself:

I don’t know how long I can do this, he said.
I think the universe has different plans for me
& we sat there in silence & I thought to myself
that this is the thing we all come to & this is
the thing we all fight & if we are lucky enough
to lose, our lives become beautiful with mystery
again & I sat there silent because that is
not something that can be said.