another year older

Last week I really needed to cook some cauliflower that was in my refrigerator and about to go bad. When I pulled it out of the drawer, it already had brown spots on it. I was about to drop it in the trash when I asked myself, "Would you have thrown this away in Malobi?" I absolutely would not have. I cut the brown spots (mold, I'm sure) off and cooked the cauliflower. It was delicious.

That's a very small, very silly example of how Peace Corps is with me always. Still, I'm grateful.

Today I am especially grateful for President Kennedy and his idea to send Americans abroad to serve others and promote peace. I'm grateful for the way my life and so many others have been changed for the better. My Peace Corps story isn't just a story about this trip I took or this place I lived. It's not just a story about some people I met and spent some time with. My Peace Corps story is a story about my eyes being opened even wider to the world I live in. It's a story of love. It's a story of strangers becoming friends  family. It's a story about how, because of Peace Corps, my story collided with America's story.

Thank you to all the Peace Corps Volunteers who served before me. Thank you to those currently serving. Thank you to those waiting eagerly for that invitation to serve. And to all the SURs I know, thank you. I'm so glad our stories collided and I love us the most.

I am so honored to be a part of the legacy of Peace Corps and its story. I am so proud and incredibly thankful Peace Corps is part of my story. Happy 54th birthday, Peace Corps!