pieces

I blinked and now we're almost halfway through this last semester. I've been immersed in the worlds of religion & violence, globalization & education, and conflict resolution-- three courses for the semester besides thesis work. They all overlap in interesting and meaningful ways, and what makes this semester extra-satisfying is the way in which the assessment pieces are permitting me to directly engage with the world outside our 'ivory tower' here. For the education course, I'll be exploring the ins and outs of an overall inspiring story of a creative group of young Australian peacebuilders from a nearby middle school. In the realm of conflict resolution, I'll be engaging with multidimensional, mindbending questions regarding cross-cultural interaction that profoundly challenge the core of my identity as a peacebuilder.

Even given this overall contentment, the gut feeling that longs for active, grassroots work still sits as a pit refusing to simply digest away. I suppose 'the grass is always greener' in some way, but I simply find it harder to live with myself as I surf along in this largely self-centered lifestyle. While you can find ways to give back on a daily basis, it's not the same as digging in the mud with hands, feet, and soul for causes of humanity. Shifting into that situation is when a look in the mirror will be one of greater respect and feeling of wholeness.