something small, something beautiful

I get new insights about my life here on a regular basis.  Small glimpses into the "bigger picture" or the roll that I am planning without even fully being away of it.

Today I had coffee with Sarah.  Sarah is one of my closest friends at Cornerstone Development.  She is Tim's, our director, executive assistant.  She is an amazing woman, and a lot of fun.  We've been good friends for a while.  Today we slipped out of the office and got something to drink and eat, as we chatted about life, marketing, and many other things.

Towards the end of the conversation, I commented on how grateful I am for her, and we talked for a little while about relationship.  I am aware that I am uniquely blessed I am here in Uganda.  I would confidently say that many of my closest friends here are Ugandan/African, people I work with or connect with in different ways.  But I have also recently been thinking about how beautiful these friendship are.  They are not easy, we step on each others toes sometimes, we don't understand each other occasionally, we react to things differently... but when both people are willing to give a little piece of themselves, to make an effort, something beautiful is created.  Something small but wonderful happens.

As I rode home from work, I thought about the idea of "being know".  I used to really struggle living here because I felt like there was no one who really knew me, or understood me.  On the back of my boda today, I smiled at the fact that that is not true any more.   

I am known, and I know, and that is wonderful.  

Living and working across cultures is never easy.  But what can come out of it is so much more exciting and beautiful. creative and unexpected that you can imagine.  I think it is in the hardest things that the most wonderful outcomes often take place, when people are willing to give a little more...when they are willing to love.

Sarah and I had a wonderful time today, chatting, laughing, planning, and sharing.  I am blessed beyond words, it is in the small things that we find real life, life in abundance.