4 Points

Well, my summer in the Dominican Republic is actually coming to a close; I've got one more week here in the Santo Domingo Norte branch office and then one week back in the central office. After that next weekend, I'll fly back to the scorching but familiar Texas heat.

Doubtlessly, I've had a once-in-a-lifetime experience here. Yes, I plan to travel abroad in the future, but those journeys will be completely new and different from this one. The first time that you decide to dive into another country and submerse yourself in their language, culture, and way-of-life is an experience that cannot be replicated. And I am more than grateful that this opportunity was given to me.

So, simultaneously looking at the past, present, and future, what have I learned here? What are those things that really made an impression on me, those things that I will remember forever?

1) I can do this, but I cannot do it alone. I have not just been stretched beyond my known limits, but have been forcefully thrown across them. In so doing, I have discovered that the boundaries that I so carefully danced upon were all self-imposed due to fear of failure or embarrassment. Now, I have failed. I have embarrassed myself (thoroughly, I might add). And I'm all the better for it. I've learned that in those moments, I can trust and depend on the people around me, friends and strangers alike, and on God. The obsessive idea of complete independence so prevalent in America is obliterated here.

2) It's okay not to know everything. In fact, I know very little! And I'm not just talking about the Spanish language here. I'm talking about all of it. Spanish, the public transportation system, the culture, and everything that makes up a community of people. I don't know; I don't know! "I wasn't supposed to do that? Whoops. My bad." "There's not a bus that goes there today? Really? Well that's funny. I must have misunderstood." But you know what? That's alright. Truly, it's okay. Life will not come crumbling down; it won't even be that hard! Vulnerability is okay; it's genuine. And most people are willing to help out someone who is being honest about their own ignorance. Maybe I should try owning up to this in the States, as well. If I can muster up enough humility to ask a question or two, I might save myself some pain in the long-run.

3) Look for what makes you feel alive, and then follow it. This has been one of the biggest revelations to me. I've discovered, at least in part, what makes me burst with excitement: adventure. I had always suspected this about myself, but now I really, truly know. I love seeing the world; I love jumping off cliffs and white-water rafting and hiking and riding on motorcycles and talking to random people about their lives. I love seeing oceans and mountains and waterfalls and cities. I love to explore. But this extends beyond the physical, and thank the Lord because I don't always have the opportunity to do those things (though I will certainly make a point to try to). Intellectual and spiritual exploration is just as exciting. How does God interact with us? How does He show us Himself? How can I show Him to others? How can I do this in everyday life? What is everyday life? Does it have to be monotonous? No---I don't think so; not if we consciously choose to stray away from the mundane everyday and follow what we've been called to all along. What have you been called to, specifically? That's the journey itself!

4) Take the time to know yourself and others. The past 2 months have given me ample time to explore my thoughts, feelings, values, and attitudes as they've been compared and contrasted against the Dominican culture. So often in America, I'm going, going, going all the time with hardly the time to think of anything other than what is next on my schedule. That's awful, and it does nothing for me. I may have crossed something off of my list, but if I keep dwindling that list down without considering where I'll end up when I finish it, then I very well might end up somewhere I never wanted to be. Similarly, our lives are centered on relationships, and if I don't take the time to cultivate them thoroughly and healthily, then I'm lacking something crucial in life. As much as I've learned that I love adventure, I would gladly give up those opportunities if they damaged the state of my relationships with God, people, or nature. Take the time to get to know those around you, both new and old friends. And a quick note on the old ones: Often times we assume, because we have had a relationship with someone for a long time, that we know them. Thus, we stop caring for and nurturing those relationships as we very well should. This is a tragedy, and leads to many great misunderstandings, because these are the relationships that mark us the most deeply, for better or for worse, and are the ones that are most important to the wellbeing of ourselves and those around us. So, with that being said, take the time to know yourself and others. It's essential to good, beautiful living.

And so now I've rambled (You're welcome, parents). But, I'd also like to know what other people are learning this summer back in the States or wherever one may be in this big world. If you've learned something from experience that you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd love to hear. Just post or message me on Facebook!

Two Types of Journeys

Well, another incredible week in the grand ol' DR has passed. During this past week, I finally started my auditing job, which felt really good. I like feeling that I'm actually contributing something to my branch office rather than just having people tote me around. As fun as that is, I'm glad to have some work to do.

Weekend Journeys
This past weekend, the interns and I went to Samaná, Salto de Limón, Las Galeras, and Playa Rincón.

To sum it up, these places are just like what my other posts say: they are some of the most beautiful places I've ever been (especially the waterfall Salto de Limón and the beach Playa Rincón). I keep writing about the beauty of this country, and it's simply because I'm not sure that I can take it all in. When I'm traveling across the green and mountainous landscape of the interior DR, or along the beachside coasts, I'm just absolutely taken aback by how stunning this island truly is. Samaná is a cute beachside town with attractions all its own. Las Galeras has a different kind of charm, one that comes from being a small town in a place of paradise.

Salto de Limón is a huge waterfall close to Samaná. It's truly a place of magic. Several waterfalls tumble over a large cliff, and greenery grows in and around the cliff. There is a large pool perfect for swimming that leads into a small cave underneath the waterfall. You can swim under the falls, and when you look up, the sun hits the water in just the right way to make the drops appear to be shining crystals of light. You can (and I did) jump off the side of the waterfall into the depths below. Two adrenaline junkies (professionals, I suppose) even climbed high onto the cliff in the middle of the waterfall to jump. Some crazy bone in my body wanted to follow, thinking I can do that, but I also wanted to live to make it home, so I stamped out that desire.

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Playa Rincón is known as the most beautiful beach in all of the DR, and rightly so. It's hard to get to (we had to take a small speed boat there), and thus pristine. The only people there were us and about 5 other people! The beach is protected by a piece of land jutting out, which makes the water smooth and calm. The ocean itself is the color of sapphire and turquoise. I didn't know places like this literally existed; I always assumed the pictures had been photoshopped to be more vibrant. No--this is the real deal, and it is more magnificent than any photo. Hundreds of palm trees line the secluded beach, and lush mountains guard the shore. I was in paradise.

Engendered Thoughts
Seeing all of these unspeakably brilliant sites provokes a person to survey life. For some reason, beauty speaks to the soul, nourishes it, and invites one to deeper thinking. You feel healthier after seeing such a view, somehow revitalized. The only reason I can come up with for this is because beauty, like that seen in untouched nature or in healthy relationships--that kind of beauty that is rare and breathtaking and indescribable--is the closest thing that a person can physically see to looking upon the Lord. It moves the deepest depths of your spirit to praise and admiration, to expressing joy, to loving life.

So, my question is, how do I bring this kind of beauty to people? It's so undervalued, or valued in the wrong way, and it's such a vital part of life. To feel alive like that...it's essential to living fully. In the book Walking with the Poor by Bryant L. Myers, the author says that "if [only the necessities of life are] our sole focus, then we are missing something important, something fundamentally human....Creation theology calls for a life that is secure but also a life worth living." He says that aesthetics such as beauty, art, culture, and celebration are those things in life that "are the key to being fully human" as God intended it. How often we miss this because of all of our worries, all of our responsibilities, and everything that gets in the way of the pure enjoyment and ecstasy that God's blessings bring. I know that back in America, I have not taken nearly enough time for this. I didn't value it enough, or I at least shoved those values back, caught up in the pains of the current moment.

Life Journeys
Thus, I think I have a new journey to embark upon. As of now, I'm venturing to find out some way that I can bring this kind of beautiful living to those around me. I can't take everyone to a pristine beach, and I can't fix everyone's messed up relationships. Shoot--I've got my own to worry about and work towards healing with! I can't implant thoughts in people's minds or change anyone's behavior. No, those things are the work of God. But I do believe there is a way that I, and truly everyone, can impact people's lives, to make the beauty and joy that I've experienced here evident wherever one may be. Can I do it through a business? Through writing? Through my personal relationships? I don't know what the method will be. But I'm exploring right now how it might be possible.

A few weeks ago, when we went to Isla Catalina in La Romana, I was struck by the pure misery that a majority of the tourists had on their faces. We were in the middle of the Caribbean, surrounded by incredible beauty, but their hearts seemed hard to it. Only a few were smiling, and I was sincerely shocked at the expressions on everyone's faces. How could they look so pathetic, so gloomy? Look around you! I wanted to shout. Oh Lord, if there is some way I can change moments like this, that I can bring life to the rich and miserable and the poor and dejected, show me the way! You came so that we may have life and have it to the full. I am to be your hands and feet, yes? Give me Your dazzling Spirit, and help me to overflow that onto others. 

There are still remnants of the Garden of Eden on this earth, despite living in a fallen and broken world. My goal now is to find them and make them known. I'd love to hear your perspectives on this--feel free to post or message me on Facebook!