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Show ONLY A THOUGHT... COMMENTARY HY JADA SHANER ~~ /9 : ·· ~··· . ~ ,.·_.· , .. J . I . r I '- . .' ·.. A view from another room and place ·Home ~ not the place where you. li'IJI!, but the place whe1e you belong." --- Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket I'm used to opening my eyes while lying in bed at night and looking at expected things. The magical masks that hang from every wall, watching over me while I sleep. The colorful posters symbolizing my deepest thoughts in beautiful ways. The hardwood desk that was handmade for me by my great· grandfather. The crowded bookshelves lined with novds that are capable of taking me to places I cannot afford to go. The ceiling swirls with plaster designs of mountains, valleys, and rivet beds. The small indentation in the wall that looks uncannily like the alien pictured on the cover of the novel Communion. The old toy chest, now painted differently, but still containing the articles of bygone days that l cannot bring myself to throw away. Here, [ open my eyes and I know where l am, but for a while it just seems wrong. It is wrong when I open my eyes and another person's belongings are strewn across the room. • It is wrong when I realize that my family is 250 miles away from me and l can't do anything about it. I can close my eyes right now and imagine opening them up to familiar tl1ings. Things I'm u ed to seeing. Things in my room, in my home and in my life. The life that I've been living for 18 years. Now, I'm having to earch. I don't know what I'm searching for. Maybe that's mething tl1~t I just do---that' unique to me, but I still can't get over tl1at sense of wrong on opening my eyes here. Take this closet, for example. This closet doesn't even compare to my closer at home. This closet is fuded and, in t11e dark, ha no substance, no pull and no reassurance. It blends into the wall and is almost invisible in the darkness. My closet at home can carry its own w ight, in the dark and of.course in d1.e light It's big, solid and comforting wim many little intricacies. Paths made along the grain of the wood by night sprites peppering my dreams. To put it imply, I miss my do et. Yes, I realize that I sound insane, but it's not that. I'm homesick. I bang my knee on the wall my bed is up against I open the wrong closet: drawer each time I need something new. I worry about someone coming into my apamnent while l'm in the shower. I lam my fist on the edge of my desk each morning in a futile attempt to kill my alarm clock. I jump each time the phone rings. l check my mailbox three times a day. ! write letters continuou !y. l have this theory that as long as I am writing to someone, I'm connected to my home somehow. I have gone through two books of stamps and have started in on my third. l miss my dominating furniture, my comfortable bedroom, my little television, my cure dog, my inviting house, my special friends and my far-away family. These things, these people, all work together to make more than just my home. They make my sanctuary. The place where I want to be. The place where l belong. So, l dedicate thi short essay to me place where I want to be and so often took for granted. l dedicate this ro my family, friends and complete strangers, from one homesick freshman to anyone. I'm here wishing students, that are far away from home, more than just good grades. I'm wishing them good thoughts and good feelings. FW. -------------- ---, IBE THUNDERBIRD • SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY• THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1993 · PAGE 5 ~rljJ Shop &!EN4WOMEN • CUTS • PERMS • COLORS • HIGHUTES • TANNING • tWI.S • WAUC-INS WElCX)l,E • OPEN MON· SAT• EVENINGS 8V APPT. Mon ·Sat. 9-6 Late, HOUfs by Appointment 586-4080 490 S. Main (Cedar Point Mall) r-------------------------------------------------, !$2000FF with Studen!L~.... j L-------------------------------------------------~ I I I I I I I L Meal Deal 1 Buy one regular Footlong Sub, a bag of lfl chips & a f medium drink for only $ s9 : Not valid with other discounts. Does not apply to Super Subs. Limit one sandwich per coupon. Offer expires Dec. 31, 1993. I I • . 71OCat10flS south ern Utah. 3 I I I I ------------------~ The Cedar Post 117 N. Main • 586-3651 Welcome Back SUU Students! See our selection of Guns • Musical Instruments Tapes• CDs Audio/video equipment & Much More! WELCOME BACK SUU STUDENTS! ~fd " l Ranch wear ~ r-----------------------, 1SPECIAL STUDENT SALE1 : 10% OFF ALL MERCHANDISE IN: : THE STORE! : L-----------------------~ |