Today as I pushed a little cart through the little California grocery store, Ralph's, it struck me that I'm going to China. I'm going to China. I'm really going to China. Who goes to China? Well, I guess I am. All of a sudden the total strangers in the aisles became dear to me and I was ready to get a little weepy over the Hershey chocolate bars lining the checkout. Everybody was going about their daily business and I wanted to ask them, "Do you know I'm going to China? Yeah, I can't believe it either."
Anyway, it took two tries to walk to Ralph's. Late in the afternoon a few people and I made it to the main street, Calle Tampico, but could walk no further. The air was a brownish-yellow and the wind threw tons of dirt and sand in our faces. We could barely stand up. The usually crisp brown mountains surrounding us were hardly visible. I guess we were in a sandstorm. No wonder nobody else was really on the street!
In addition today is the 7th anniversary of 9/11. I always pause to reflect on this anniversary for my country and for my life. Our country has changed in many ways and so have I. Seven years ago I was a 15 year-old sophomore in high school! Could I have imagined the journeys I would travel over the next 7 years? Could I have imagined training for the unknown of China?
