Day 1,460:
On June 26th, 2012 at 7:00 a.m., I started what I thought to be a two week trip that would transform me - but resulted in a 1,460 day trip that would carry me across the world, lead me to people of endless compassion, and ultimately awaken the epiphany of self realization.
Every last second swells with bittersweet fulfillment as I count down my final hours with CGA. Seeing as this is the final blog of a four year journey, I’m trying to find the long-awaited, savory words that have escaped me for years. Those words that would not only bring tears to your eyes, but would inspire passion and strike courage into your hearts. However, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are no words, no further points, and no last revelations that I haven’t already expressed. These four years have seen my highest and lowest points. I’ve already been redundant in saying how these trips have broadened my perspective and shaped me in numerous ways. However, for my last chance to relay what has been sewn into my very being by these experiences, I want to share my last revelations on a broader view.
No matter which country, in what condition, or what exactly my mission was, I’ve noticed the same, seemingly obvious yet overlooked trend. Every human, stretching from the mountains of Nepal to the beaches of Nicaragua and beyond, is united in our shared humanity. Whether we be from metal slums or from townhouses, every human on this earth wants happiness. We all want to be given compassion, and avoid pain. Every human wants to smile and laugh, and to be treated in a deserving way of what they are. human. Four years has given me time to learn to look past what is immediately seen, and to appreciate that we all have a beating heart under human skin.
What I always struggle with upon return to America reaches deeper than cultural shock. After weeks of serving and feeling useful, my simple American life leaves me with a hollow feeling, without fulfillment, without purpose. Until now, I often felt like I was living in my own shadow, and that life back home could not compare to my travels abroad. I was scared that my life had no powerful meaning. Through all this distress and doubt, I have finally understood that, if we choose it to be, life is never without purpose. I have walked foreign lands and have always observed fulfilling lives where it seems impossible. I can see now that a purposeful life doesn’t need to dominate the global stage, or move entire mountains. A life with meaning simply requires contentment and passion. It requires choosing not to exist, but to be truly alive. To aspire after dreams, no matter how small, and to take on each day with gratitude. I sincerely believe that a life with purpose can only be built on days filled with content.
Children’s Global Alliance has awakened me to a beautiful global community where we are able to harmonize as one, and that is filled with aspiration and purpose on every level. These experiences have brought me to the groundbreaking conclusion that I am a human with a purpose, and that purpose is up to me to decide.
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