I wanted to share some insights I had recently. I think that I am so blessed to have come on this trip. I was nervous to see what was in store for me and it was the little things that I noticed that made me smile. I heard how Dr. Holbrook and Beth heard my music, Foreigner playing and commented on it. They looked so happy talking that it made me smile. I thought about how caring Paige was when she cautioned Kevin to be careful. I got to share some of my music with Denise on the way there and back. I like how Jose helped take some really nice pictures of me, and how he listens so intently to what you say. I like how Beth always has something inspiring to say. One time, she said how Dr. Holbrook had said that he was happy to be alive. I think that is absolutely lovely as a way to look at life. It makes me inspired to see others be so optimistic about things. I like how Natalie always has something witty and clever to say, and how we laughed about reminiscing about the Power Puff Girls (guilty pleasure). I went to see the Elgin Marbles, and I saw an older gentleman sketching them. I was intrigued so I asked him about his sketches and commented how good they were. He said he did them because it made him happy and it was something to do. He said that the British and the Greeks ought to work together instead of against each other to help restore the Marbles, and we talked about drawing the marbles as something you can feel and resonate with the work and really experience it. I think I might be inspired to try that. I was touched that Dr. Clifton, someone who has never met me before, took the time to ask me how my day was, and later made a point to mention something that might interest me to Dr. Johnson. I think little things like that ought to be done on this trip. Its a chance to reinvent yourself and become something you want to be. I try to do that by smiling at people. Its an interesting hobby because it allows you the chance to connect with someone new. I bought a record today because my sister had wanted me to go to a records store. The record was a Beatles record and it had the song that my mother walked down the aisle to get married to my stepfather on it. I thought it had real meaning to it. Try to do something like that on this trip and dont be frivolous. Everyone loves gifts, but try to make it something that has a great meaning to it. But dont try to hard! I think this trip is also about freedom. The freedom to make choices and take opportunities and to make mistakes. The freedom to choose to redeem ourselves or to go all gung ho and do some questionable things. I think thats a real blessing in and of itself. Above all I try to appreciate the small things like a delay in departure to somewhere as more time to think about the people I care about, that way the trip is full of good things instead of being tiring. I think we ought to break away from the norm and do something new as well. I never have been to a play before, so I went to As You Like It. I dont know much about Shakespeare, so I figured it was a good idea to start knowing. I think we all should do things like that for the sake of enjoying new things. In fact, I didnt know anything (and still dont) about plants and biology, but when I went on the trip to the Botanic Gardens with the biology students I felt so enlightened by what Dr. Holbrook was saying. I was happy to experience that and you could tell that he really liked being there. I think ill end with this: The clerk at the Sainsburys told me when I had told him that I was really surprised at how nice people were over here, that it was his job to be nice, and that he was happy to be nice to people to make their day better. I want to do something like that too. I think thats my goal for this trip. I want it to end up giving me some kind of skill that i can make peoples lives better if only in a small way. I think because we are all so blessed that others have worked hard to help us on our way here, that we ought to serve in whatever way we can. I want to be a teacher and I want to help others feel these same things and have these same experiences, and I hope that all of you figure out something similar.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 23:13:42 +0000
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