April 11, 1997 (Off-trail visit – Knoxville, Tennessee)

Enjoyed my final day at Camp Koinonia and made it back to John and Kathy’s in Knoxville this afternoon. Back to the trail tomorrow.

My assessment of Camp Koinonia:

Students: most arrived at camp probably somewhat naive and very nervous, gave 100% of themselves to about 100 diversely disabled children and received 1000% back in return (oh yeah, and three college credits).

Campers: most enjoyed activities that they would otherwise never experience. They made new friends, gained confidence, found very positive role models, and most importantly, had some fun.

Me: I found perspective and inspiration from a little girl with total disability, whose only form of communication is a smile. From a boy with Down Syndrome who found the courage to ask a girl to the final night’s dance and who, after she accepted, strutted his stuff back to a table of cheering, high-fiving peers. And from a blind girl who called me “Stinky Feet,” but determined that I was still worthy of a hug and a kiss.

Before Camp Koinonia: I worried about the pains in my feet and muscles after walking 15 miles with a 50 lb. pack on my back. I worried that I might run out of food or fuel before my next mail drop, or that it might rain, or that I’d be bummed if there was no view at the top of the next mountain.

After Camp Koinonia: I am grateful that I can stand and walk without assistance. I am grateful that I can feed myself without assistance. I am grateful that I can see the colors, hear the music, and smell the roses. And I am grateful that I can tell the people I love that I do.

I’m just happy to be alive and to breathe.

Aquaholic

April 11, 2009

Hey Aquaholic,

This morning I went skiing for a couple of hours and had a peculiar experience.

I got emotional.

Last night I applied for a position with the American Cancer Society – Online Marketing Strategy. Working with a cause-related organization really strikes me as an exciting opportunity.

Fast forward to this morning. While riding up the lift, I was thinking about creative ways to promote the fight against cancer and started to envision a series of inspiring messages, in particular a scene of an emotional interaction between a parent-child… and I started crying. I was crying. I got off the lift, wiped my eyes dry, skied violently down the mountain, got back on the lift, and balled my eyes out again. And then it happened a third time.

My thoughts were not uncommon, but the fact that my emotion overwhelmed me was. I don’t cry very often and I have nothing intelligent to say about the fact that I did today. It was just peculiar.

O’