Living life to the fullest…

Last night I had a discussion with my Cairo girlfriends. It all started with some very bad news.

My sweet friend TWILIGHT (I will call her this because of her recent LOVE for the Twilight series) discovered that something very horrible happened to a friend from home. Her poor little heart was aching all day and her poor little eyes were sore with tears :( It was a moment where I felt helpless, yet I knew she felt more helpless being an ocean away from comforting someone so close. The situation was bad. And all I could create was a tea party with Cinnabon and hugs. It worked as well as it could, although some fine conversation resulted from it all. It is worthy of sharing and so here I go….

After receiving the bad news, Twilight called her parents in Canada. She was homesick and wanted to go home (I don’t blame her!), yet her parents encouraged her to stay with “you are living life to the fullest!”. This made us all wonder…..what does it mean to “live life to the fullest”? Doesn’t this whole idea include sharing your joys and sorrows with the people you love? Will missing out on “being there” become a regret? Was coming to Cairo worth it? Together, we worked through the many questions we had. It took a while, but here is what I concluded:

I feel that sad news can make anyone feel homesick, but I feel it comes with good news too. So many great things have happened while I have been away. My friends are getting interviews to schools they have been dreaming of. They have become volunteers for organizations that they are perfect for. They have started new families and many have decided what to do next. Others have graduated from places they helped to create (lb – I’m so darn proud of you) and some are doing things that I know I would never be brave enough to try (bungee jumping – my goodness ladies!). For all of these things, I have felt homesick. I wish I was home to have celebratory tea and give you the classic, high-pitched Lindsay squeal (you know – the one that comes out especially squeaky under circumstances of AWE). I wish I was there to bounce up and down beside you and sing you a cheer that is simply ridiculous. I wish I was THERE.

Well……I cannot be there. But, let it be known that I am jumping up and down for you on the other side of the world. (Ask my roommates). I think of you often and celebrate you even more often. I admire you for living your life to the fullest as I try to do the same in a different place.

And so, I decided that I do not regret coming to Cairo, so long as you promise to tell me when to bounce!

I Love and Miss YOU.

Love Linds
xoxo