I've Been Away

It was always more than traveling.... a poem

“I’ve Been Away” is a new poem I am writing to remind me of how blessed I am by family and friends. May we never forget the people God places in our lives.

To me, though, it is about so much more than traveling. It is about pilgrimage, our relationships with each other, sharing grief and joy, and the loveliness of returning home with grateful hearts.

I'VE BEEN AWAY

I’ve been away,
up winding roads,
from freeways to lake shores,
from one state to another.

A summer full of aways
of retreats, funerals,
a lakeside reunion,
and stayovers with close friends,
and furry pals.

I’ve been away,
from my home near the woods
to days buzzing with coffee,
conversation, and shared prayers,
and evenings full of pasta, wine, and old movies.

I’ve been away with
family and friends, new and old,
where tears and laughter mingled
to leave holy offerings of love.

I’ve returned from 
the wilderness, the city,
and the out-of-town adventures—
each a safe refuge traveled through.

Roadsides
promising the best peach ice cream,
from praises to “Come to the Table,”
to somber descants of “It Is Well,”
to the B-52s.

A world where 
holy and hard,
hymn and pop,
believer and non,
living and gone,
are woven into a vibrant tapestry.

Where God invites us
into His love,
to love each other,
and to hold one another as He holds us. 

I’ve been away
to retreats, to funerals, to lakeside reunions, 
to stayovers with close friends and puppy pals. 

Now at home, dear Lord,
please help me not to forget how blessed I am
by the precious people You have placed in my life. 

Gallery of some of my aways

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And you, dear friend, where have you been? I’d love to know. Please share in the comments, because you are my family and friends too.

🤍

Deborah

Author of Prodigal Daughter

P.S. If you haven’t yet picked up Prodigal Daughter and you found today’s poem and letter helpful and hopeful, may my poems of light join you on your journey. You can come home.

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Photo by Mariana Mosli

Deborah Rutherford is a poet, author, speaker, and Emmy recipient for her makeup artistry in film and television. Her poem “Dear Lord Only You” was recognized in the Storytellers Poetry Contest. Her debut collection, Prodigal Daughter: Poems of Light for the Lost Ones, reflects her journey of restoration, grace, and hope in Christ. Deborah hosts the Behold-Her Beauty Podcast and has been published in The Way Back to Ourselves, Vessels of Light, Calla Press, and Prosetrics. She lives in Georgia with her husband, Don, and enjoys singing old hymns, drinking bold coffee, and walking under the pines. DeborahRutherford.substack.com | Instagram @deborahrutherfordwrites.