Thursday, December 20, 2012

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.

The title, one of William Blake's Proverbs, implies that there is a rhythm to life that matches the seasons. Young people are meant to learn, middle aged people to teach, and older people to enjoy the fruit of a lifetime of labor. I'm not certain how I fit in with Blake's wisdom. This trip is still about learning. My role is always to teach as well as to treat. I do not recollect an adventure or a job that I have not enjoyed.  

Tonight is the eve of the solstice, the day the sun "stands still," the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the start of winter. I will arrive in Haiti on the solstice. This winter will find me learning, teaching, and hopefully, enjoying while in Haiti.

This blog is posted from Las Vegas, where I am waiting for the red-eye flight to Miami, to catch an early morning flight to Port au Prince. Las Vegas is one hour behind Calgary and three hours behind Haiti. I'm tired, mostly wound up with the excitement of the trip. Once I board my flight for Miami, I expect to fall asleep very promptly and wake up five hours later in Miami. I expect I will sleep further on the flight to Haiti. Big day tomorrow.

When I arrive in Haiti the temperature will be 18 Celsius (65 F) and back home the high for the day will be -18 C (0 F). Quelle difference! The humidity will envelop me the second I step off the plane and my skin will luxuriate in this warm air bath.

The flight attendant on the Air Canada flight asked me if the conditions in Haiti are better. I hope so, but I don't know. I've read that the conditions have not changed much. Life goes on in Haiti. Que sera sera. There has been progress. About 700,000 thousand of the million people who moved into tents after the quake now have a better home. Some of the humanitarian aid money has changed some lives. Whether the aid plans put in motion after the quake have made a difference will not likely be answered for a decade. I hope the children of the quake will have education, health care, and a future. I hope, looking back, that their parents will feel confident about their future. If everyone does something to help Haiti, perhaps they will never need to look back. I hope. 

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