Feels Like Home

Frank and I are in Pennsylvania for a wedding this weekend, and it feels like home. Now, I'm from South Carolina and I've also lived in North Carolina and Virginia, so having a small town in Pennsylvania feel like home is a little strange. But it does.

That is because I am currently sitting in the Historic Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem, PA.

Is it making sense yet? Bethlehem, PA is an old town that was founded by Moravians a long time ago. In the mid-1700s a young girl named Elizabeth lived here, but left when she was 17 and walked to a new Moravian settlement in North Carolina. Salem, North Carolina.

I am in the home town of the founder of my college. I am once again walking the brick walkways that were once walked by Elizabeth Oesterlein, and it feels great.

There are Moravian stars everywhere, especially throughout this hotel. They are on the doors of the elevators, the floors, and the walls. I was almost moved to tears when we first walked into this beautiful place.

I am impatiently waiting for the shops along Main Street to open so that I can shop for Moravian stars, smell the familiar scent of beeswax candles, and close my eyes to be transported back to my college. There is a cemetery here that is identical to the one that runs along side Salem - it might actually bring me to tears. I woke up to that sight every day of my senior year, and I walked the paths through it on those days when I attended class.

It never crossed my mind to make this pilgrimage, but now that I am here I can't believe I never thought of it before. To all of my Salem sisters, it is a long drive from just about everywhere but it is worth it. I've been here for less than 24 hours and I'm already trying to figure out how I can get back here to soak it up some more.

And to Sister Oesterlein, thank you. Thank you for being such a bold and daring teenager. Thank you for walking away from this comfortable, established place and literally walking to North Carolina to found the place that would become my home 229 years later.