My Eastward Pointing Compass

What is this inner compass that I have?  Do others have one, I wonder?  Like the arrow which shows you which way is North, my arrow perpetually points East, towards the ancient kingdom of Gascony at the edge of the Pyrenées in southwest France. 
There is something in me that has always pointed to a place beyond my visual or physical limits.  I credit my dad for that!


As a child, we went on many camping trips.  Growing up at the foot of Pike's Peak, there was no end to the
adventures we could have in the wonderful Colorado Rocky Mountains.
My dad had numerous geological maps from the forestry service and he would spend hours plotting out our next trip.  But even with a map and plans, my dad's inner compass took us to unexpected places.
Our travel motto quickly became, "It's just around the next bend!"  Of course we didn't actually know what was around the bend, but we knew that the discovery of whatever we would see there would be a treat.  And so I came to look forward to our camping trips (and trips to Ohio to visit grandparents) with great joy and anticipation.  What new and fun adventure lay around that next bend?!

As this new year of 2015 begins, I feel that pull getting stronger, the compass point becoming more emphatic.  I am so looking forward to following that eastward pull and peeking around each bend in the road of my journey to live in France.
But first I must get my house ready to sell.  And while I'm not so anxious to go around those bends, I know it is necessary as my first steps towards life in La Belle France.  I invite you to join me on this journey of uncharted territory.  I would love your words of encouragement, advice, caution, suggestions as I follow these bends on my way to France.