So, let’s just get this out in the open: yesterday my summer Africa trip was canceled and for pretty silly reasons. I had a good cry over the thought of the friends I won’t be seeing, but today I am feeling better.
The truth is, I could let this job stress eat me alive, or I could embrace the new challenges it presents and move along with a smile. I talked to my dad on Sunday for a routine family weekend catch-up and could hear the panic in his voice on the other end when he heard me holding back sobs. It is hard enough going through this kind of emotional nonsense without putting extra worry on those around me. I’ll be fine. In fact, I’ll be better than fine. In that internal evaluation I’ve been conducting I realized that I’ve got a pretty good grasp of running a successful nonprofit. I love public health. My passport proves I’m willing to travel and commit myself to my work. The right agency is looking for a new leader and it is about time they met my resume. And then my baking. But hopefully not my blog.
While you may be able to take away my plane ticket to Africa, you cannot take away my love for the continent, my passion for my work, my mission to help those in need. Dude, Africa is in my heart. (I feel a bit like that Lee Greenwood song right about now.) I am so much in love with Africa that at one point I had thought about investing in a vacation home that has shared ownership (a timeshare) so that I can be there whenever I want to be. I have heard that timeshares may not work for some people since they might not visit the same place frequently enough and still have to pay for maintenance (resulting in them terminating the contract perhaps with the assistance of timeshare exit companies after getting frustrated with having to pay the maintenance fee for no good reason). However, I think it can work for me because I will be visiting the place quite a bit more frequently than usual. I think I will give this idea thought in the future. But for now, I will just say that I am missing Africa more than anyone! Nevertheless, as I told you earlier, I am trying to overcome sadness by thinking about happy memories–I am trying to recollect the memories for which I am thankful.
That said, things I’m pretty darn happy about today (both shallow and divine):
1. Spending gobs of time with my friends and their families during Easter, including the Brennan clan. Meg and I have been close friends for more than ten years and now I get to watch her in action with her first son, Roscoe. He is simply adorable. I love Meg’s husband Scott too (always a perk) and Meg’s family is like an extension of my own. I tagged along for dinner with the entire family last night and it felt routine in a great way.
If I haven’t said it this week, I am exceptionally blessed with great friendships. I have more people who care about me and my well-being than I can count. What more can you ask for?
2. New Madonna! Woo hoo!
3. I’m cooking a southern feast per request of the Salty Senor to celebrate his birthday at community dinner tomorrow night. New recipes, a full house of friends, lots of food and we’re going bowling for dessert. Yee haw!
4. The Wednesday food section of the NYT.
5. I’m so taking this “commute to work on your bike” class. Free classes at REI inspire me to buy a great backpack and see a lot of the Western United States on foot this summer. I’ve got weeks of vacation time to burn and suddenly a month of my life handed back State-side. See? Tell me that ain’t some sweet lemonade.
Lator gators,
Kelli