The Holiday’s seemed to have flown by like dust in wind…This was the first time I have ever been away for such special family days and although we were an ocean apart fortunately I was able to share some of the festivities via technological ways to wish my loved ones a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
There’s something to say about traditions and how they somehow make you who you are…tie you to where you’ve been, enable you to truly appreciate the past, present, and future. At home we were always Christmas tree shopping and decorating weeks before, here in Uganda we were decorating on the 23rd…the Christmas tree was spruced with Holiday cheer yet it wasn’t overflowing with the homemade decorations from preschool on up through the years…but it twinkled and brought happiness to the corner of the room…as did the rest of the decorations hanging from the wall and book cases.
I was able to spend Christmas Eve with my Sisters at Vigil Mass and rested only a short amount of time before singing Christmas Carols and watching my family enjoy their Christmas cake via skype…and with the rising hot sun we awoke and celebrated Christmas mass together followed by preparing a wonderful brunch. During the day I met up with a few of my lovely friends that I have been blessed with here and the night ended with a special Christmas dinner and exchanging presents at “home.”
The Holiday season truly does permit time to prepare oneself…not just for shopping, gift wrapping or decorating…but preparing the heart…preparing the way. I found myself trying to reflect back on how far I’ve come…where I’ve been…what I’ve been doing…to prepare myself for the new year, which holds an abundance of opportunity and mystery. I found that that I am still reflecting, still discerning, still trying to figure “things” out. As many times as I have mentioned this, Africa was always my plan…Uganda has now become my life…what is there to figure out then one may ask? Everything.
A couple of weeks ago we all were able to ring in the new year…2012; imagine. I rang in the new year by first cruising on the Nile with my loving group of friends and the ball dropped when we were all together toasting to new adventures, new perspectives, and new experiences. These last several days of our new year have found me in the sun surrounded by this beautiful life. I am realizing that I am not quite certain of what to expect in these coming months. Toasting to new adventures, perspectives, and experiences is all well and good but it takes much strength to truly take advantage of such opportunity. And as I embark upon the possibility of continuing to build and live a life in which I am falling completely in love with, I find myself questioning…how long can this dream last?
I struggle sometimes with that question because I simply love this life of mine and never want it to be coined as “an experience” as a “dream that I once lived…” I want it to be my life…not just a chapter or the road less traveled by, I want it to remain in my heart in my daily life…but how do I accomplish such a mission; ode to the questions that have more than one answer.
I am in the process of deliberating between projects, organizing, revamping, and finding out a way to make Lazarus Community become more sustainable. It’s not just Lazarus Community that I’m trying to make more sustainable, but I’m trying to make my life here in Uganda more sustainable as well. The Holidays brought much to think about, reflect upon, and learn from…and now here I am two weeks into the new year and feeling pressed for time…however, last week I took on a huge challenge and climbed the Nyiragongo Volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo and I will be filling you in on that beyond amazing adventure here shortly…however, the road trip, postponement in Kisoro, and of course the climb up and down gave me plenty of time to think, meditate, and pray as I continue to try and put together a few pieces of this never ending yet blessed puzzle I call life.
Sorry for the delay in wishing you all a Happy New Year as you have been supportive and generous please know that you are always in my thoughts and in my heart.
Much Love to you all,
Anne Therese
…..Congo expedition to follow….
