These words are attributed to Nelson Henderson, but
I first heard them last night, at a Send-Off Celebration for Peace Corps
Volunteers with upcoming departures held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We were lucky to be joined by Carrie
Hessler-Radelet, the Acting Director of the Peace Corps! Carrie (can I refer to her by her first
name? I guess I just did!) addressed us with some of the most profound and
articulate stories I have heard about the lasting impact of Peace Corps
service. All of the returned
volunteers, future volunteers, and applicants that I had the privilege to meet
last night shared stories and experiences that truly reaffirmed my commitment
to service in the Peace Corps. I
even got to meet one volunteer who will be departing with me to Tanzania in
July! During the over-the-top,
ridiculously wonderful day that followed, I reflected on these words, and
realized how they wed everything that means the most to me.
Today, I was supposed to attend mandatory seminars
at the medical school and hospital and a meeting or two. Today, I actually spent the day running
after a group of middle-school students in a Detroit Public School. Why? At the end of many frustrating days, sometimes I cannot
answer to myself why I put my heart and soul into seemingly random efforts that
do not to transform my community overnight. Today, I realized that each of these efforts might plant a
seed that does not take root. Or
maybe, each of these days of service will plant a seed that grows into a trunk,
branches, and leaves that will stretch far in a direction that I cannot
predict. Today, I received a
remarkable hug from an eighth grader named A’Lonna that made me hope that this
seed was a type of the latter. A’Lonna
played the Good Witch of the North in a musical called Munchkin Mediation at
this Detroit Public School. I
happened across the group of students putting on this play by chance, and was
excited to be able to jump into the production headfirst.
A group of volunteers came with me, as part of
Wayne State University’s Alternative Spring Break Detroit program (shameless
plug - it is the single best program you will be involved in during these
formative adult years!). Over the
course of a week, we got to sing and dance with A’Lonna and her friends. After our spring break obligations
ended, a few volunteers continued working at the school with me. As we worked, the play transformed from
a listless sketch into a musical production with dances, colorful costumes, and
plenty of joy. Most of the
students had never sung a note in their lives, but they overcame their jittery
legs and puberty-induced voice cracklings to shine in the spotlight today! Each of these students will graduate
from the eighth grade this year, and will move onto to other schools and places
where he or she may not ever be a part of another musical. Most of them will probably forget the time
that we spent practicing their parts with them. Yet, Dominique might pursue acting, after everyone’s coaxing
following her performance today.
Nicholas debuted his own spoken word on stage, and I hope he will
continue to perform it. I am quite
sure that Riley, our star student, will soon let me know that she’s gotten into
her high school of choice. Maybe I
will not hear from the performers in Munchkin Mediation again, or maybe I will
run into them in life in the most astonishing of ways.
This kind of service has come to bring me joy for
the surprises that it brings down the road. On the way home from practicing with the kids last week, I
hit a pothole (or rather, lunar crater) and punctured my tire. I took it as a blessing in disguise
that a friend helped me to change my tire in a matter of minutes, and we later
laughed our way through an evening of dancing. My tire shop took an eternity to repair my rims and install
a new tire, but I had time to befriend a wonderful couple working at the café
next door. As I prepare for Peace
Corps service that will, inevitably, require me to embrace the unexpected, I’m
getting some practice now! The
journey of life is filled with everyday frustrations, and I’m making it my job
to find the joy in each moment.
For today, I’ll plant a seed whenever life allows me to, and hope that
one day I encounter its shade in a way that amazes me.
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| A view of the stage before our performance. Thank you to the 52 students in the Alternative Spring Break Detroit program who came together to create a wonderful set for the production! |
