Skip to main content

press on

One final blog before I'm off to India tomorrow. Once upon a time 10 months seemed like such a very long time. In view of the past 10 months, it seems like quite a short time, actually. I know, I know - it might seem long when I'm on-site but I am looking forward to being there. My room is finally clean (though I have yet to pack), dear ones have volunteered to ensure my car is sold (thank you SO much!), and I have seen &/or called everyone time has allowed me to. All in all, I am ready. I look forward to some quiet moments in a couple weeks when I will respond to the encouraging e-mails sent my way. They have buoyed my spirits and reminded me to remain focused on the path that lies ahead. So I press on with the goal in mind. I'll be in orientation for almost two weeks in Delhi before traveling to my post, so look forward to my next blog from Southeast Asia.
There are no photos this time around, but let me leave you with a few mental images:
-Falsetto karaoke singing late into the night dressed in Hawaiian clash style at my going away luau.
-While prepping dinner in the Adirondacks on my recent backpacking trip, I noticed a rustling in the woods. I asked, "are, are you human?" No response . . . "Are you human?" Still no response . . . "Umm, Tim, umm . . ." Thankfully my first wild bear encounter was entirely peaceful.
-Choosing the perfect finger puppet companion to accompany me to India. I settled on Monk, the Monkey.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Safe journeys ... and may your roads be as Edward said for them to be :-)
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Anonymous said…
Farewell my dear friend. You have touched the lives of many and will touch the lives of many more.

This is your opportunity to unleash some SHINE on the world. Enjoy the journey.

Thanks again for your influence on my life. I will never forget it. The wine, the SMILE and The Book will be put to good use.

God Bless You.

Love, Charles
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rare Disease Day 2024

Today's Rare Disease Day. There's sometimes a particular weightiness to life with a rare disease. All the appointments, emergencies, traumas, doctors, therapists, medicines, opinions, schedules and upset schedules. My touchpoint is being mom to my precious girl with Wiedemann-Steiner Syndrome  (WSS). You'd have to spend a day or week shadowing me to know what it's really like. Doesn't that sound alienating? As though you couldn't possibly imagine if you're not living it? Well, maybe. But think about a time of immense grief you've lived through, or a time when your world seemed to be falling apart around you and it felt like everyone else was completely unaffected. I suppose it's a bit like that. You might have thought that those around you couldn't possibly know how that experience felt to you. A couple weeks ago, I started keeping a list of all the extraordinary things that happened in my life due to my daughter's rare disease. I learned a c
1 comment
Read more

How I Got a Blister from a Cowbell

The bullhorn sounded and he was off, swimming his heart out, across a 50m stretch of lake as deep as his arm is long. My youngest, William, competed in his third year of the  Race4Chase  triathlon in August. When we first applied, I reflected on how I hoped this triathlon camp would allow Will to do something that was entirely his. It would be an opportunity to spread his wings apart from his sister's influence. For siblings of kids living with disabilities, this kind of autonomy is life giving. Back at the lakeside, I was watching Will from a distance and ringing a cowbell like no ones business. Will ran up from the waterfront and we cheered him on. He transitioned to the bike portion and we cheered him on. When he came into view at the end of the bike and transitioned to the run, the final segment of the race, we cheered him on. All the while, that cowbell was clanging. When Will sprinted across the finish line, there was no stopping him (or the cowbell). Thinking about that mome
1 comment
Read more

Startup Day 875: piloting in New Haven

Iteration is emblematic of startups. For example: From last year's pilot , we learned that parents and adults with disabilities were looking for recommended resources.  We built the Empowered Together app and tried crowd-sourcing those recommendations.  In our New Haven pilot, we're bringing database building in-house by listing accessible food, arts, and recreational businesses in greater New Haven.  Thankfully, we have thought partners in this endeavor at the City of New Haven and at community disability orgs. We are working with a Quinnipiac student and awaiting word on additional grant funding. We're taking the right next step in changing the social system to be accessible and inclusive of People with Disabilities.
Post a Comment
Read more