Life is good, but could it be better? More fulfilling? Full of joy at a deeper level?
I’m feeling incredibly grateful for everything and everyone in my life. Even though we’re only going for a year (which feels simultaneously short and long), it magnifies everything right now.
I have a pretty awesome life. We have so many good, supportive friends and family members (who have shown their support so strongly as we prepare for Thailand). I get to do and experience amazing things: whether it’s a simple breeze on my commute with my sweet, blue bike (boy am I going to miss it while we’re away!), or these travel adventures we’ve had (Yosemite and Sonoma, for example), and even more recently in the quiet of Wisconsin and Michigan. I have good jobs with even better coworkers. I could go on, but you get the picture.
Part of me feels like this is enough. My life is good. And, to be honest, I had a lot more doubts about this volunteer than John did. My life is good; why does anything need to change?
I’ve told multiple people that once we found GSV and got accepted, it just felt right - like it was the right thing to do. I could explain all the intellectual reasons (and I feel like I have shared some of that in person with you lovely people in my support network), but in my heart, this feels like the right path.
Now I have begun to think about some deeper questions/objectives. I’m looking forward to the simplistic, quiet lifestyle of Thailand, and I’m beginning to look forward to a life that is even more joyful and fulfilling than my current one.
I’m looking forward to more hours of reading, journalling, and time with my husband. I am sure we will still play a few board games, too (Carcassonne, anyone?). I’m also looking forward to not being attached to my iPhone quite so intensely.
I’m sure there are ways we could find some of this lifestyle in the U.S., but it will be a lot easier to do so in Thailand.
I’m looking forward to meeting the members of our new GSV community: Bridgid and Tam (the current Thai volunteers), Kimberly (our U.S. connection to GSV), and Antonia (one of the GSV directors in Thailand)-- and the community we will meet in Thailand: Sr. Pranee (another GSV director in Thailand), the staff and the people of Nongkhai.
But before we can go, we need to say a few more goodbyes.