That's right, we actually have a website called spinellasells.weebly.com. It's all part of the leaving process. We are going to take "a few of Laura's favorite things" back to the US, but the rest we have to sell or give away. That includes furniture, vehicles, and the general detritus of a life well-lived (relatively) in Taiwan for 14+ years.
Well, some of those years were lived a bit better than others. For instance, we didn't find living room furniture Laura actually liked for about the first 9 or 10 years. The same could be said in one way or another about a lot of things. But bit by bit, over 14 years, we did a lot of settling. We not only have things we either like or have gotten used to, naturally with various exceptions and asterisks*, but we also know what works for us, where to find much of what we need, and lots of friends and resources to ask for help when we get stuck.
In a lot of ways, the physical stuff mirrors the relational stuff. If you've been reading these updates for a while, you know I went through a restoration journey prompted by some relational concerns among some of my coworkers. Some of the things brought up had lingered under the surface for many years. Some of it was stuff I had tolerated, but not addressed, with all the reasons and rationalizations that went along with that. It was good to address those things before leaving. Perhaps there are more yet to address. But also we are listening to many people express to us that we have become close and that we will be missed.
Yesterday one of my coworkers was asking me the debriefing questions, "How are you doing? How are you feeling? What will you miss?" etc. I shared that I knew that when people told me nice things, I needed to sit there and listen respectfully and express appreciation, but that this was still a hard discipline for me, because it forces me to notice my losses, and I have a lot. I was enjoying the chance to reflect and be accepted, when he said, "Well, now that you have said what you will miss when you leave, I could share what I will miss when you leave." I said, "Oh, so tell me, what will you miss when I leave?" ;-) Sometimes I catch on a little late. So then, one more time, I got the chance to listen respectfully and express appreciation... I think you get the picture.
You may have noticed that I said "Laura's favorite things" in the first paragraph. I think that's because after all the moves in my life, it's hard for me to notice and acknowledge my favorite things, because like many others in life, I also have lost many of my favorite things, as well as favorite places and favorite people, due in no small part to my many transitions, but also due to other things, like my sinfulness, my brokenness, and some of that around me as well.
I do need to ask myself, "What are my favorite things, places, and people?" That way I can remember with gratefulness in my heart what the father has given me, and grieve, with tears if they will come, the losses I am experiencing now, even if in the process I remember a lot of earlier losses too.
With love from the far side, Steve and Laura
*For instance, we still have a cobbled-together tv cart in our living room Laura abhors and pieces of wood on the balcony I picked up on the street years ago to make indirect lighting fixtures, while the bare fluorescents still glare overhead after 14 years. It's not on spinellasells.weebly.com, but I will part with these for free with a free jenzhu naicha (bubble tea) to the dear friend who takes them away.
Dr. Steve and Laura Spinella, Sarah, Joey, Robby
Da Yi Street, Lane 29, #18, 2F-1, Taichung 404, TAIWAN
011 886 4 2236-6145, wk 2236-1901, fx 2236-2109, cell 9 2894-0514
USA: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920, 719.528.1702, cell 719.355.4809
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<www.team.org.tw/spinella>, <www.team.org.tw/ccg> <spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>
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