All my yesterdays

  I ran into an old friend last week. One that I hadn't seen in quite a long time.

  My heart.

  I knew when I left Spokane last year that I was leaving part of myself behind. I just had no idea how big a part. Coming back to it again was an experience I wasn't expecting. I really felt like I was home. I felt happy for the first time in recent memory. It was a flood.
  I knew the streets. I knew the places.
  That's where I used to go for late night beers and laughs with friends. That's where I used to buy my groceries. That's where I used to live. That's one of my favorite restaurants. That's where the river rages in the Spring. That's where I liked to go for walks in the Autumn. That's where I fell in love and never recovered.
  I was welcomed this week by friends and loved ones. I was respected by colleagues; no longer the student now, but the teacher.
  My time in Washington was filled up, every minute, and each one of those minutes reminded me of how special that place is and how much I miss it. It pained me to go.
  My heart still bears its scars, but I'll leave it there in Spokane, where it's happy living in sunny days and memories. Maybe I'll even drop in to visit it from time to time.