How many of us actually count our blessings each day? I'll be honest, I don't. In an effort to take the time to focus on my impending student teaching starting in T-3 weeks, I am trying to center my life and remind myself of how lucky I really am.
Raised Catholic my whole life, I've now diverged from religion, I spent my schooling years in private, Catholic schools. I was fortunate enough to attend high school at St. Joseph's Academy, an all girls school, that provided many life lessons. Among these lessons would be 1 that stuck out the most. We were required to complete 50 hours of community service work yearly. This sounds just horrifying to teenage girls-- you want me to get dirty? help people who might not want to be helped? and then bribe me with hours to move on to the next grade?
In an effort for my parents to be good ones, my mom told me I was going to Honduras to understand my blessings. (While she would NEVER, EVER do this herself, it has now created a passion for me to travel and live a simple, eco life-- she's created a monster! ;))
In the summer of 2003, we left on a mission trip to Comayagua, Honduras to spend 10 long days there. I came back from this trip dying to go back 2 additional years. I will say this, in the way of providing service to people and to help make the country better... we failed; in the way of meeting new and interesting people, entertaining cultures, and sight-seeing... we succeeded! The trip taught me patience, what the internet and other technologies mean, and to be respectful of what I have and the world I live in.
I am sad to say that we prayed the majority of the time and I was really disappointed in the little we accomplished. I guess that's why the group I went with no longer goes to this particular sight. However, I highly recommend trips like this--- it puts life into perspective and teaches you what's worth living for. I'd also like to include that I made a digital scrapbook of this trip, you can see it here: The edges are slightly cut off. :(
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