Mind's Eye

The images imprinted on my retina as I close my eyes to rest have been spectacular as of late. I close my eyes and find myself immediately made spectator to vivid images from my recent life: thousands of pale square houses upon houses perceived as little specks cloaking the rugged peaks of La Paz jutting out past the tree line, as seems fitting for something as raw and untamed as nature; a green mountain, laid thick in jungle vegetation, defiantly stealing any glory from the backdrop of a bright blue sky and lingering mist; the dry, dusty trails of atv terrain passing quickly underneath in my mind’s view; exhilarating views of densely vegetated valleys winding through steep raw peaks as the foreground of meandering stretches of highway is a constant blur as I navigate my mountain bike deeper and deeper into the green.

These images imprinted on my mind are just a glimpse into my life in the last few weeks. As I sit on a plane en route back to the states, every minute that passes makes this most recent life grow a little more surreal.

But life moves. I’m thankful for the time I had to explore Bolivia with my friends. We traveled with a team of medical professionals from the US through the desert mountains of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, setting up medical clinics in rural villages along the way. Our eyes were given a chance to see into what life was like in these areas. In a few of the villages we found a handful of elderly individuals shut away in their houses, neglected to their death bed. In other villages we found well-equipped medical facilities and caring Cuban doctors ready to serve the Bolivian farmers. There were also the kids, the heart of every village. We played football, basketball, freeze tag; they took my hand and led me around the villages; we played with cool toys the team had brought as gifts; and I ran around in my chicken suit as they chased me, screaming “Pollo! Pollo!” Kids are beautiful. I have promised myself to go back and visit my beautiful little friends as soon as I’m able.

Our adventures continued back in La Paz. We explored surrounding areas overlooking La Paz; we went 4-wheeling in a big terrain park with beautiful views of the valley below; we went mountain biking down “Death Road,” a stretch of 63 km of narrow mountain road that drops 10,000 ft in elevation during the ride. All of these things and all of these people have left a deep imprint on my mind. Now my biggest challenge will be to have a good attitude as I come back to the US. God knows it’s a place in which I’ve never actually desired to live. I hope this won’t last too much longer.

Five minutes till touch-down in Miami...
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