Weekend Revisited...

What a weekend. I had to say goodbye to my host family. The father and I had much bonding time this weekend. Amazing how close you can get to someone in three days without even speaking one another's language. I was able to courral a translator several times so I could tell him the many things I had wanted to say but hadn't had the chance...in the end hugs and smiles, laughs and more hugs held us together tighter than any words...a man that I will never forget...

This weekend was a big convention of District 3710, and we were the feature act on stage. It was very nice to revisit with many of the members of rotary that we had met over the past two weeks. At this point we are embracing and formality takes a back seat, which I tend to like anyway...I mean, is there a better way to show someone how much you miss them other than giving a hug, handshakes just don't cut it at that point. The conference went well and we had some dinner afterwards where I was able to spend some more time with Mr. Lee (host dad)

But he left in a blur, I cried tears of saddness on the inside, my heart wanting just one more minute of his time, a last breath to tell him what I had not said, just one more hug of appreciation for the laundry list of hospitatliy that he and his wife and family provided me for three days...hope and faith will have to do for now as we part ways, I know he will forever impact my life...

Finally, on Friday night, driving through the city of lights as the call Gwanju, there were many thoughts as we passed through the halfway point of our journey...as I shook Chong Bo's (translator) hand I realized that we only have two more weeks left in this beautiful country. As is dissappeared into one of the few shadows of the city I realized that we only have two weeks left together with these people...I promised to myself this day that I would not waste another minute of the next two weeks, I will not cheat myself, and more importantly the people who helped me to this point by taking a day off, or not celebratine the moments as we have the past two weeks...

As my words fail to capture my thoughts, I guess my message is that I hope you can use all of your minutes, fill them with joy and love and peace, so that you don't cheat yourself and those around you...love never stops, peace is always attainable, and you will have friends aroun every corner...

be well and safe...