The Reality of Daily Living:

So, it has been some time since my last post. There have been several new things springing up in my day-to-day existence that I would love to share. As most people know we as a country elected a new president- Mr. Barack Obama. Mr. Obama will be our 44th president, and first African-American. I never really thought too much about how much race played into life in America. I suppose that fits into the reality of being white in America. After my summer in Phoenix it is something that I have not really stopped thinking about. My relationship with my identity as a white woman is not something I have spent much time thinking about in the past. Today, there seems to be much to consider and think about.

Another aspect of my life has found some momentum again. In the middle of October I was asked to participate in a rally back in Phoenix, but couldn’t go. The discernment that went with the decision was incredibly intense. I came to some realizations as a result. I recognize my need to be in deliberate solidarity with others in the world. I also recognize my need to participate in rallies or peace vigils. Participation in such events was not commonplace in my upbringing, but I have decided to make it a necessary reality in my adult life. I will be attending the 19th Annual Peace Vigil at the School of Americas in Fort Benning, Ga. I am very excited about attending this vigil. I think it will also prove to be a fruitful experience.

While these two aspects of my current life are bursting with reflection and attention, my studies have been a bit different. It is interesting to be in the last year of my studies and to feel an apathy that has not been a part of the work EVER! (at least since I began this program). I guess this just means that it is a good thing that I am not going to be a student for much longer. This is not to say that I will never set foot in a classroom again as a student, but that I am ready for the break that will come after this latest taste of academia.