In my last letter home, I stated that I would take a journey across a land so fair in search of my “home sweet home.” I realized (after thinking on that for a while) that perhaps you may have questioned such a statement. After all, how does one find home by  boarding a plane to a destination thousands of miles away from the place they lay their head to rest each night? A question that I believe deserves an answer. So, this is my answer.

I am a person that loves home. I find great comfort in the respite and quiet of the Little Kanawha behind my back door. I soak in the sites of Calhoun County with much affection and a respect. I love the cold crispness of her winter and I anticipate her spring. There is nothing compared to a hot cup of tea in front of a warm fire, beside the people you hold dear.

Yes, I love home, but instead of building a fire in the hearth, staying inside, warm and safe . . . I am determined to hear the voice of adventure. I will build a fire in my heart. (My husband smiles a crooked smile when I get started on these tangents, but I believe he too hears the whisper of adventure that awaits us on the road.)

Scripture tells us in John that the good shepherd has come that we may have life, and have it to the full. I desire to do just that. We should not be content in living a long life--we should set our goals on living a life. This is what I will pursue on my journey--an America that has made dreams come true, a people who have risked, and not settled, for a second-rate soul.

Now, I know that I am not the first to pursue this dream of America’s Heart or home fires, but I will search for those that have blazed the path before me. I search for the trails that lead others to a place they call “Home.” Perhaps, I will cross the way of a pioneer in desperate desire for land. I may catch a glimpse of a miner--aching to make it rich in the “Gold Rush.” I will listen for the gunshots of cowboys, soldiers or natives racing toward danger. I may see the tears of the adventures lost, the agony of homes torn down because of the destruction of progress over decency. I may find heartache or hope.

I do not know where the road will take me, but I do know that it will be worth the trip. For you--who sit comfortably by the fireside--enjoy its warmth, but don’t forget to get out there in the cold and look for adventure. Sure, it may not be safe or comfortable, but most things that are worth doing aren’t. Find your own adventure. Dare to light the fire in your own heart and catch the fever for living in “a land so fair.”

I am heading West ... let the adventure begin.