Graditude over guilt

Ok. I lied. Pictures have not come soon. In fact I still haven’t sorted through them all and I’m not posting them now. But a few words on the past week or so will have to suffice.

How does one separate the montage of moments as the miles roll on and the days blur together? We’re in Lakeland Florida and we’re on our seventh city in two months. Yet each event and city has its own unique memories. They’re branded in my mind, now simple shadows drawn from the vivid reality of life’s journey. Wrinkles crease cheeks as grins twinkle and laughter chimes, echoing amongst the blur of faces. The smiles, oh the smiles of the peoples we see and love every day. There are tears and even drops of blood from time to time… but the smiles carry me through moments of doubt.

Last week we had a hunger banquet. Intense guilt and a vague weakness flooded my stomach as my face flushed and twitched in helpless frustration. We were separated into three groups. Twelve of us were randomly selected to be high class. We were lucky enough to earn more than 12,000 dollars a year. We were served Baked Ziti, garlic bread. Approximately 20 of the cast were selected to be the middle class and earn between 997 and 11,999 dollars a year. They received a bin full of rice and beans. The remaining 70 or so students were told they live off less than 996 dollars a year. They were given a cardboard box with a few handfuls of rice.

There were tears and muted growls of frustration as we sat and looked at our food. No one wanted to eat. In each segregated section of the room you can sense the eyes, the depravation, the shock and the guilt. We accepted the social expectation—instead of changing the rules we let the rules change us. We are all challenged every day, challenged by what we see and expect. Many of us felt guilt during this afternoon. But in that there is an opportunity. If you change guilt into gratitude for the good we are surrounded by we take something personal and give it to those around us. Share gratitude and you enrich the lives of everyone surrounding you.

Next week (…in two days….) our US tour will end and we’ll head off to Belgium. Next week a new adventure begins. Europe brings the start of truly new cultures, four months outside the US. Loving the anticipation of exploration, of discovering things I never knew I didn’t know.

Since this wasn’t as exciting or upbeat post I’ll leave you with a few fun pictures from the past few weeks. Much love! ~danny

(Those were all taken from our mini show and Cultural Fair in Freeport, Bahamas!)

  

A few pictures from our days at the Humane Society in the Bahamas. They have over 400 dogs. More images and actual captions coming soon. (I hope!)