With three weeks of adventures and memories, where can one even begin? Should I talk about the vividness of Armenia's history with its ancient churches and its abandoned industrial parks? Should I talk about the beauty of Georgia’s capital mixed with graffiti preaching both hope and aimlessness? I don’t know, and while I wish I could be a poet with this, I suppose all I can offer is honesty. When it comes to Armenia and Georgia (and anywhere really), I don’t believe they can never personally be “real” for anyone until one experiences either place first hand. After all, I know Mount Everest is physically real. I’ve seen pictures of it, and I’ve read about it. Still, I could never adequately imagine how vicious the cold air must be, or how beautiful the view from the top would be for me. Likewise, I think the same will be true for the readers of this blog when it comes to Armenia and Georgia.Of course, I’m sure all of you love the fantastic pictures that have been taken, and I’m sure many of you must be dying to hear your daughters’, sons’, or friends’ stories in person. In my view though, there’s going to be an emptiness for all of those who weren’t physically there. None of the Service Scholars could do these two lovely countries justice in terms of description.Then again, the Armenia and Georgia of the Service Scholars will not be the Armenia or Georgia you’ll experience if you should ever choose to go. I doubt you would get the chance to meet many, if any, of the people we’ve been fortunate enough to meet. Naturally, you won’t work on the exact same projects nor have the exact same meals that we Service Scholars have had. You won’t have our comedic conversations nor our frustrating disagreements, and while I’m absolutely sure you have all had parallel experiences to the ones we’ve had here in the Caucasus, those experiences are still not the same.
So is this fact a good thing or a bad thing? I would say it’s neither. It simply is what it is. On the other hand, you might not want to take my word for it, because at the end of the day I’m no sage. I’m just a ditzy twenty-year-old who lacks the life experience of his elders.If anyone is interested, though, I would just like to say this. If there’s something you would like to do in this life, then do it! If you want to go to Africa, South America, or Asia, then go. If you want to build a home for a needy family, or build a well for a needy village, then build it. Embrace the fact that no one in this world will ever know exactly how you feel when you achieve success or experience disappointment. Embrace the fact that no one else will ever live the life you’ve lived.To the parents of this trip’s Mercer Service Scholars, embrace the fact that you are parents of the Service Scholars and others. Embrace the fact that no one else has experienced motherhood or fatherhood exactly like you have, and embrace the fact that you’ve raised your children so well. It’s all that any daughter or son could ever ask for.To everyone else, just embrace the past you’ve lived and the future you will live. The Good and Bad, the Crazy and Mundane, embrace it all. Your experiences are what made you who you are, and they continue to shape you.And that’s all I can really say. I’m sure you’ve all figured out the above ages ago, but again, it’s all that I got to say. I’m no poet, and I’m certainly not smart enough to write something inspirational for the ages. Still: if someone likes what I’ve had to say, then I suppose I’ve done what I should.
Peace.
Zachory R.
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