Until next time...

     Though it is difficult to grasp, the culmination of my voyage is rapidly approaching. The ship has returned to the Northern Hemisphere for the final time, and it is quickly approaching the final point of debarkation in Fort Lauderdale. Thus, the time has come for me to write my final entry into this blog. Thank you to everyone who read it; I hope you enjoyed!
     As I leave the ship for the final time, in addition to my eclectic array of old and new material possessions, I will be taking along with me an accumulation of memories that I pray to never forget. Unfortunately, I recognize that there is an undeniable tendency for memories to jumble and fade, and for the intricate details to fall beneath the horizon. While I have taken numerous steps to delay this, to an extent it may be inevitable—with time, older memories fade and they are replaced with newer, fresher memories. What will never fade, however, are my broad observations, my unique realizations, and my growing spiritual appreciation. A growing understanding of myself as a global citizen and my ideas on what that means must have implications in everything I do. No issue can henceforth be understood in the same context that I placed it prior to embarking on this journey around the world. So, as a final summary, I will not recount the memories of lying on a Vietnam beach, or of seeing the Taj Mahal, or even of playing with school children in Mauritius. Rather, I will recount why, in the broader scheme of life, each of these instances has had such a profound impact on the essence of my being.  Many of my observations are admittedly idealistic, but great change necessarily stems from the so-called foolish dreams of a naïve romantic. A child’s dream is only silly until it becomes a mature adult’s reality. As I learn and mature, so shall these dreams. Prayers for peace, dreams of serenity, and demands for tranquility shall only grow with time, and I know that in my life the world will join us in this pursuit. Thank you to my absolutely amazing parents for affording me this incomparable opportunity; thank you to each of you for taking the time to read and follow up on my life; thank you to everyone who has made these past few months to me all that they have been.
     There is a scene in my favorite TV sitcom, How I Met Your Mother, in which Ted, a sarcastic idealist, is spilling his heart out to his friend Marshall, a hopeless romantic, over a girl who is moving away the next day to study in Germany. Ted and the girl decide to break up, and with 24 hours to go until she leaves for Germany he feels completely helpless. Attempting to persuade Ted to have one more great night Marshall asks Ted how he would act if he knew he was going to lose his leg the very next day. Would he sit around and mope, or would he run, jump, and do cartwheels? Would he waste it, or would he live up his leg? Well, Teds response is deeper than one might understand at first sight. If I were going to lose my leg tomorrow, Ted notes, how would it be so strong that today I am able to do all those things. And, honestly if I were losing my leg tomorrow I’d probably be inquiring about prosthetics or other options.
   In addition to being a cute anecdote this teaches us that it is not really over tomorrow. Even as life on the ship comes to a screeching halt, the journey continues on. If the journey were ending tomorrow I may be uneasy, but knowing that the journey will continue through acts of spreading kindness is a constant reminder that this trip has merely just begun. Japan, China, Vietnam, India, Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana, and Brazil. They have all come and gone; now it is the U.S. A’s turn. Now comes the real test of worth. When I get home, and I have had the opportunity to learn too much, will I spread it or waste it. Will I teach others to run, jump, and do cartwheels, or will I simply lock it up as a fading memory of acrobats around the world?
Well, as long as people are willing to learn….
Godspeed