"Needing Others Has Come to Require Courage"

This quote was given to me by my friend Stewart when I embarked on my journey in Haiti this past January. Although my purpose in TFA is quite different than the calling I heard during my three weeks in Haiti, I have found a lot of comfort and strength in these words the past week. I would say that at the end of this week I had that breaking point, the "what am I doing here--it feels like everything is going wrong" feeling. In reading this beautiful words, I was reminded of my purpose. I think that in sharing this with you, it perhaps provides more depth into how I have been feeling the last week, than a personal reflection on the events, which will come later. I hope that you too, find encouragement and a peace of mind in these words no matter where you find yourself presently.

"Basically, service is about taking life personally, letting the livest that touch yours touch you. These days many people seem to think that being touched is a form of weakness, even if that life that touches you is your own. If you are under 30, the thing to be is "cool." But why would anyone want to be "cool"? Should I live to be very old, I expect I won't remember the times I was "cool" but will be warmed by the times when I cared passionately, risked everything to make a difference, and knew who I was.

Not only have we disconnected from life, but many have disconnected from each other as well. Such qualities such as self-reliance, self-determination, and self-sufficiency are so deeply admired amongst us that needing someone is often seen as a personal failing. A hundred years after the end of the frontier we still inhabit its culture. Self-sufficiency was critically important when you lived 100 hostile miles from your closest neighbor. But we are still living this way, 3000 to a city block. Needing others has come to require courage. Is it surprising that so many people are secretly lonely and afraid to grow old?

Perhaps it is this striving for excessive independence that is a weakness, that makes man of us so vulnerable to isolation, cynicism, and depression. It is doubtful that independence and individualism will enable us to live in the deepest and most fulfilling way. In order to live well, we may need to know and trust each other again. To touch and be touched by those around us. Service is the way that this world can heal. 


True service is not a relationship between an expert and a problem; it is far more genuine that. It is a relationship between people who can bring the full resources of their combined humanity to the table and share them generously. Service goes beyond expertise. Service is a way of life." --"Belonging"Rachel Naomi Remen. 






Cheers to:
1. Putting everything on the line to care passionately about children, co-teachers, and staff, that started out as strangers.
2. Learning to rely and lean on others, being willing to admit weakness, and seeing the beauty in the self-understanding this creates.
3. Accepting a lack of expertise, and understanding the necessity of a combined humanity to fulfill BIG goals and BIG expectations.