The Reality of Relationships

My time in Korea has come to an end. Tomorrow night I will return to Moscow for 3 days to collect my stuff, say more goodbyes, and then head Stateside on Friday.

To say that my time here was amazing, just doesn't quite seem

to do it. I had a fantastic time teaching and getting to know some new kids. I even learned a thing to two about the SAT. I also did a fair amount of sightseeing -- went to Seoul 4 times, did a little touring in Suwon, and went to the North/South Korean border. I ate so much good food, I am sure that I gained some weight. But all of these things pale in comparison to what brought me the most joy here. I have been teaching for 13 years now, and that means that I have taught a lot of students and built many strong friendships with them. Over the past month, I was able to reconnect with many of these students, and I was reminded of how valuable my friendships and relationships really are to me. Life would not exist without these relationships. I can't imagine how people live their lives without strong friendships and community. I remember being in middle school and having no real friendships -- I think that is why they are so important to me now.

As I look back over my life, I realize that there have been relationships that I have let slip away. There have been times I have made mistakes in my relationships, causing others to be hurt by my actions or my words. Obviously if I could go back in time and restore those relationships or make more effort to stay in touch, I would do so. But I can't, so I must move on and make sure to cultivate more deliberately the relationships I have right now. It was so awesome for me this month to see students again, some of them whom I consider to be good friends. I loved the fact that I could talk with them about where they are in their lives, what God is doing, and where they are headed; that we have could have serious talks and laugh our heads off about the old days as well. Some of them I may not see again for a few years, but I know that our friendship will still be there the next time we meet.

I have said this numerous times, but I want to say it once more -- I never imagined that my life would be as blessed as it right now, for the simple reason that I have people in my life that care about me and have shown me love. Especially when it comes to the students I have taught, I would not trade the world for the time I have spent with them. Some of you may have heard this saying: "In a hundred years it won't matter what my bank account was or what kind of car i drove or house I had; what will matter was that I was important in the life of a child." Thank you God, for the chances I have had to influence children's lives, and thank you to all of you who have made a difference in mine.