Merry Christmas
Dear friends,
It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m here in Calgary, Canada, close to my family but, unfortunately, far from most of you. Yesterday I woke up to -30C, so today’s -8C feels quite balmy in comparison. There is snow everywhere and I’m looking forward to my first White Christmas in many, many years.
Being ‘home’, especially at this time of year, always leads me to reflect on the life I am fortunate enough to live in other parts of the world. I spent most of 2008 in Bangladesh, a place that, after more than 2 years, feels almost like home (while simultaneously feeling like the furthest thing from home... That’s Bangladesh for you, contradictory in almost every way). This year has seen me through two exciting jobs in two different sectors of international development, a Potty Project of my own building eco latrines, a trip to Europe to visit loved ones whom I see far too infrequently, a month of backpacking in Burma, and a summer of nature-loving and much appreciated time with friends and family in Western Canada.
It’s been an awesome year. Not without it’s low points, but overall I’m grateful for a wonderful 2008. Most of all, I’m grateful for all the things I’ve learned this year. Perhaps not as much as I would have like to have learned, but I’m limited that way :) Thank you to all of you for the things that you have taught me; your lessons of wisdom, warmth, generosity, spirit, strength and creativity have been inspiring and challenging. Yes, I know how corny that sounds, but I do mean it (it’s the Christmas music, it brings out the cheeseball in me…).
I’m not sure I’ve figured out the secret of life yet (perhaps in 2009?), but I do know that having amazing people around to share life with and learn from is a big part of it. That, and really wicked spiked eggnog on Christmas Day.
Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas / Chanukah / Thursday!
Ashley
It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m here in Calgary, Canada, close to my family but, unfortunately, far from most of you. Yesterday I woke up to -30C, so today’s -8C feels quite balmy in comparison. There is snow everywhere and I’m looking forward to my first White Christmas in many, many years.
Being ‘home’, especially at this time of year, always leads me to reflect on the life I am fortunate enough to live in other parts of the world. I spent most of 2008 in Bangladesh, a place that, after more than 2 years, feels almost like home (while simultaneously feeling like the furthest thing from home... That’s Bangladesh for you, contradictory in almost every way). This year has seen me through two exciting jobs in two different sectors of international development, a Potty Project of my own building eco latrines, a trip to Europe to visit loved ones whom I see far too infrequently, a month of backpacking in Burma, and a summer of nature-loving and much appreciated time with friends and family in Western Canada.
It’s been an awesome year. Not without it’s low points, but overall I’m grateful for a wonderful 2008. Most of all, I’m grateful for all the things I’ve learned this year. Perhaps not as much as I would have like to have learned, but I’m limited that way :) Thank you to all of you for the things that you have taught me; your lessons of wisdom, warmth, generosity, spirit, strength and creativity have been inspiring and challenging. Yes, I know how corny that sounds, but I do mean it (it’s the Christmas music, it brings out the cheeseball in me…).
I’m not sure I’ve figured out the secret of life yet (perhaps in 2009?), but I do know that having amazing people around to share life with and learn from is a big part of it. That, and really wicked spiked eggnog on Christmas Day.
Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas / Chanukah / Thursday!
Ashley
posted by ash at 6:23 PM
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