A new world opened to me on the last day of our roadtrip under unexpected circumstances. My sons were sleeping in and we were parked in a dingy RV park with a locked bathroom and few amenities, I received a message turning down an invite I had sent to a young lady, and I was nearing panic at being unprepared for responsibilities I had taken on with a homeschool theater group.
All this at the end of another incredible journey could have meant dread at returning home, as I had felt after previous treks.
But it didn’t. I felt freedom in my independence and deep possibilities in cramming for my new role as assistant director. The Pilgrim’s Progress is the play and upon starting my research, I found that I was already connecting with the text and seeing the chance to return to my Covid-interrupted Bible studies, perhaps even in a leadership role.
During the final leg of our voyage, I listened to commentary on the book and it’s Biblical foundations. The protagonist, Christian, goes on a hero’s journey, much like I have since losing my wife. Once home, my sons and I sat down to watch a well-produced animated adaptation. There seems to be a world of knowledge to discover within this book and it sparks my most curious inclinations.
How is this chapter of my life “stranger,” as I claim in my title? Well, that remains to be seen, yet my life has been increasingly strange for a long time and I am happiest when I embrace the weird.