Watch the Walk

Okay, so I totally stole the blog title. Y'all should check out Rend Collective's album (and song) with that title. But that aside, let's talk about celebration. No, not parties. I mean the high-fives. The "way to go!s" The "you rock" and the "wow, you're awesome!" I think we miss out on a lot of opportunities to celebrate other people, both who they are and what they do. Celebrating others is a selfless act-- it's not asking for our own recognition, but rather giving that recognition to others. On my long road trip I saw so many things to celebrate: - The people who work low-paying jobs in order to meet the needs of their community.  - The church that teaches English to recent immigrants. - The drivers who pull over to let people behind them pass. - The parents who work hard and never stop caring for their children even when they're most tired and stressed. - The business owners who prioritize their employees and give up a little e...

Roadtrippin' USA ... you wonder randomly which state you're in. ... you close your eyes and still see road rushing towards you. ... it seems like a luxury to stop somewhere that's not either a gas station or a rest area for more than 5 minutes. ... you can go an entire day without greeting a single person. ... the types of beauty you encounter overwhelm you. You might be roadtripping on Clove Island if... ... you intentionally dehydrate so you don't have to look for a place to pee in the bushes or at a stranger's house. ... you give English lessons in the bus because the person in the back of the bus won't take "no" or "later" as an answer. motorcycle roadtrippin' ... you walk into a random village and discover a friend who just happens to be there the same day. Or a friend of a friend. Or someone who already knows all about you because you're a white girl on the island. ... you intentionally sit near the front and next to a window to...

As I was quickly peeling an orange for my anxiously waiting nephew, the other was so excited that he face planted into the as-yet partially-unpeeled citrus, taking a large bite out of it. Could he wait? Yes. Did he want to? Obviously not. Some things take time. I've driven over 4000 miles this month visiting family and friends, yet wishing doesn't make the 10 hour days on the road any shorter. All that makes it shorter is economizing on stops and staying on the road, yet the joy of the journey is often lost if I don't stop to see things along the way. And enjoying the things along the way is worthwhile too. Like signs in North Dakota that remind us to be nice: Or a bathtub in the woods:  Or hiking with a friend: Or sea glass from a lake: Or funky street art:   And as much as the destinations are great, the journey is beautiful too. Language learning takes time, but the process builds relationships and the product is worth waiting for. Teaching English takes time and student...