The Farewell Tour
So, it’s been a month—a month since I left Ohio and made tracks back to South Carolina once and for all. It was long journey getting to this point and its definitely been quite the transition. And this was no easy feat by no stretch of the imagination. It was hard, not just in the move itself, but in leaving behind so many people. After 12 years, you don’t just accumulate junk, you accumulate so much more. Saying goodbye was hard—it’s still hard. I went on the farewell tour but there’s something about the fact of knowing that there are no encores or return engagements. I missed my home in South Carolina, but I also miss Ohio.
First and foremost, I miss my church and my church family. The X (formerly known as Crossroads) was where I rediscovered my faith and what it means to live in service to others. I will absolutely miss worshipping with you guys every week. X Church was fundamentally my happy place and just knowing I won’t see you all week after week is heartbreaking. However, when you guys bust open the doors to the new building you can absolutely count on me being there to visit. And Amy and Janice—you guys are in charge of making sure I have a seat reserved on the front row!
My Circleville City Schools peeps. Those were the most ridiculous years, but not in a bad way. I found a passion for teaching during those years. I will never forget those years—ever. In fact, Karen Valentine just called me the other day and it was at the most perfect time. It was so nice to hear her voice—she and Keith are among my favorite people and with good reason.
My boy, Sammie B, who only gets on Facebook when I need someone to join me in the throes of a Facebook fight. Sam has been there since 2010 and while we’ve had a tumultuous friendship, he has always been there for me. Loyal to a fault, at times, this was the dude that I could count on to bring me food in the dead of night even to his own detriment. The kid raced me to the south to bring all my stuff. Friends like Sam—they are so far and few in between.
Mr. Josh Clatty—there are no Flyers here and I will absolutely miss our hangs, and so I will learn to make my own wings. The past couple years especially were some of my favorite memories and I am so glad you were there until literally the very end.
Micah Dupler: I don’t even know where to start. Those Indiana trips with Nick Martinez were some of the highlights of the past couple years. Too bad you moved back to Ohio only for me to move away. But I guess I’ll have to come back for P Show so I can straggle behind with Kiirsten Truex and laugh at everything that’s happening in the background.
Danny Edgington: Who actually technically moved away first but he didn’t miss a beat so you’d never actually know. It’s friendships like this that I seek to preserve. We may have 11 years of history, but time is not the only thing that makes this friendship worthwhile or the mutual love of TWD, but its overall substance. You can’t replicate substance, it just has to be there.
Grant Furness and Joseph Furness and Tom Furness and Tammie Furness and Morgan Furness and Annie—my surrogate family who check in more than they did when I was in Ohio. I’m still so grateful for everything you guys have done for me over the years—But especially Grant who prayed with me during this transition.
Dylan and Ally Coyle: Two of the greatest people I’ve ever met. They challenged this decision with love and they made sure I didn’t leave Ohio without taking me out to lunch and laughter—I will always remember that. They also made the last days in Ohio so memorable. I already miss my chiropractor appointment heart to hearts with Ally and the nonstop laughing of Dylan and I’s every encounter.
Joel and DAni K Guinen: I don’t even know how to adequately express how much I’m going to miss these two although they left Ohio a long time ago. As the literal oldest friendship in the book I’m glad I got to spend time with you guys before I left Ohio for good. Your family is so important to me and I’m sure you already know that, but it really is. And for the record—I made NO typos in DAni’s name.
Jaia Reidling: She showed me a long time ago that people, if you let them, could surprise you. Before I jetted off to Spain I got to spend time with her and her new little one. That’s another friendship that’s as old as my time here in Ohio.
Emily Stacy: Emily aka Em aka E-Stace aka Brush Pass aka Team Blue—when we met up on the farewell tour you asked me some pretty serious questions. You asked some hard questions. You made sure I was moving for the right reasons and I so appreciate that. You made sure my heart and mind were in the right place before I split town and I’m grateful for that. Thank you for the years of friendships—those are ties that can never be broken.
There’s a special place in my heart for Michael Butcher—for we will always have the summer of 2014—oh, those crazy kids…oh, those crazy, wonderful kids. And I can’t fail to mention people like Michael Butcher aka “Butch”, who made time in the literal final moments I spent in Ohio to come see an old friend and say goodbye.
And then there’s Britni Starr Krivak: The friendship that survived some of the craziest things. Krivak is that friend that knows where you’ve buried all the bodies. We’ve had an awesome friendship over the years in that we frequently got to serve in ministry together.
When I first learned I was moving—I kept it to myself because I had to make sure it was actually going to happen. I had one trip planned for SC for mid-November and another for the end of the month. I never fully imagined I would be gone for good. It happened rather quick and I was afraid that things were moving much too fast, but God absolutely had His hand on the entire situation.
This was one of those things that I had to do. One of those things that I had to be a little selfish about. It was one of those things that despite the timing—was perfect—I regret nothing. I appreciate the sentiments and well wishes I was sent. I appreciate my awesome neighbors whom were nothing short of perfect. I appreciate the lessons of life and love I learned from Ohio. It made me a better man—a stronger man—and for that I am proud.