Oddly Comforting

I'm moving out of LA.
   Sorry if this is how some of my friends in SoCal learn this news, but the time has come and there's no sense in me fighting it any longer. I've made preparations, gotten a place back home in San Antonio, and it's a done deal.
   That doesn't mean I'm not conflicted about the move, I have very mixed feelings about moving back, but LA just isn't doing it for me any more so I can't stay here. Yet... going home feels like giving up, like a surrender. And I ain't French.
   So today, just half an hour ago or so, I went to the grocery store. 'Cause I gotta eat. And there was a guy just inside the door, one of those people trying to sell subscriptions to the LA Times. Nice enough guy, but I told him I was moving in two weeks and couldn't take advantage of his offer. He wished me well and I went about my business.
   I got my veggies and fruit, and headed for the other side of the store. When I passed the subscription guy he stopped me again. I reminded him that he'd already spoken to me, but he didn't want to talk about newspapers.
   He started to tell me about how he'd been homeless, an abject alcoholic convinced that he was going to die either with a bottle in his hand or looking for one. He then told me how he asked God to help him get sober and stay sober and improve his life. Which evidently happened. I don't mind talking to people about this kind of thing, you can't deny the evidence of a changed life, and anything that happens to bring one man out of the gutter and into a productive life is something I can appreciate hearing about.
   He then quizzed me a little about San Antonio and who was there, whether I was married or not, that sort of thing. Then he told me 'God has something planned for you, that's why he's calling you home.'
   I found this reassurance oddly comforting. I say oddly because my usual habit would be to nod politely and roll my eyes inside, where I wouldn't offend the other person. But I didn't feel that coming on. Not one bit. I'm not a particularly religious person - more blasphemous than anything else, actually - but I could feel my restless spirit ease slightly with this unsolicited proclamation from a complete stranger. I don't know if it's true, I'm pretty sure God has bigger things to worry about than me*, but just the thought that I'm not firing blindly and hoping for the best makes the move easier to do.

* say... nuclear armageddon in Japan, where in the past few days the chance of creating a for-real Godzilla has dramatically increased