Of Tender Places

a bittersweet avenue to communion

When I return to San Diego County, I always face an unexplainable bittersweetness.

Each layer of my story had countless locations as the distinct background. Even the most unassuming street corner unlocks emotions and memories lying dormant.

Carlsbad, where we threw flannel shirts over swimsuits to run toward the receding sunlight.

Fallbrook, where I learned to lean into solitude and draw near to Jesus.

La Jolla, where a man once told me he wanted to marry me, and three years later, I offered my heart to another with kind but indecipherable eyes.

When I feel the complex emotions of those places, I slow down and reflect.

Pay attention. What story do I recall here? How does my body feel in this moment? What visual details strike my heart?

Name the experience. I feel . . . Grateful. Wistful. Angry. Torn. I laugh, grieve, and remember how this place helped my personhood to coalesce.

Surrender into the love of the Father. I pause––taking a moment to breathe deeply––and recognize the presence and care of God in this place.

My identity is not in where I have been, what I have done, or what has been done to me, but in God’s declaration over me: Beloved.

Every physical and metaphysical crossroads offers an avenue for communion with Him. Jesus embodies visceral humanity; He knows the weight of lived experience. He is near me in that bittersweet homecoming, knowing the divine intention behind each nuance.

With Him, I hold every moment that has shaped me, knowing I am held in the care of my good Shepherd.

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What locations carry emotional complexity for you? In what places do you feel most deeply seen & known? I’d love to hear your story.