There is no greater satisfaction in life than meeting new people; young or old, rich or poor, conservative or liberal, American or foreign. This past three plus months have been dark in so many ways--loosing a close friend and a dog, a dream and means to my future, overall feelings of loneliness and a general lack of understanding. Besides the tremendous amount of guilt I experience daily, there is a conflicting part of me that wants to know why me? I long for a "cure" in the sense of forward motion and the right to be happy all the time. I would not wish this on anyone.
When I look for the positive in all of this I think of all the tremendous people whom I have met along the way. The obvious: family and friends who supported and encouraged my Peace Corps vision. The volunteers coworkers I met on November 11, 2009 in Philadelphia where relationships immediately began to emerge. They served the people of Lesotho with me, we explored new places together, and eventually created the ultimate family team in what would unknowingly be my final days in Lesotho.
From September onwards there were all the medevacs I encountered in DC. New people with new stories: P from Rwanda, R from Ecuador, A from China, R from Ukraine, H from Honduras, and many more. Each person came with their own story. We could share and commiserate together; no one in Peace Corps wants their service interrupted with cancer, a broken leg, or irregular heart beats. Late nights, shared laughter, afternoon coffee all made the road to recovery less bumpy. Finally I would make my way to Ghana where I would meet 150 new faces with their own backgrounds. These would be the volunteers who would see me through my final Peace Corps days. The time spent in Ghana was much shorter than I ever could have anticipated. Even so I was able to meet several volunteers doing amazing work in Ghana, all who share an ideal for a peaceful world.
I will remember the Ghanaian people who are more hospitable than anyone group of people I have ever encountered. Their struggles and hardships in daily life will always be remembered. Even more so than that I will remember their smiling faces, loving demeanor, and ability to remain positive when everything around them might seem to be crumbling. In the words of the H family 2010 Christmas letter, it's all about your perspective.
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