The place that made me

At the end of June, I did an impulsive thing: I flew to Belize for 48 hours to attend my 40th high school reunion (yes, I am that old!).  I had initially decided that for financial and practical reasons, I wouldn’t go. But then the airfares came down, and I reminded myself that practicality is not always a good basis for hell, yeah decisions.

My former classmates and I come from varied cultural and class backgrounds. We are pursuing careers in business, education, healthcare, and media.  We are straight, gay, single, married, caregivers to children and parents. We live all over the US and in different parts of Belize. We are united in our connection to the school we attended, which is run by the Sisters of Mercy and is an all-girls institution that shaped our view of ourselves and the world in fundamental ways. 

Here’s how:

1) We believe in the power of women, because we were surrounded by examples of women in leadership throughout our four years in school.

2) We have a strong commitment to community and to ensuring that we live lives of purpose.

3) We built lifelong bonds of friendship and solidarity that support our emotional and mental health.

As I reconnected with these women, in between a lot of dancing, eating and swimming, we shared stories about the challenges in our lives - health, finances, caregiving responsibilities - and supported each other with advice and encouragement. I was reminded of how foundational Belize and SCA are to the person I am. And of how essential joy is for all of us. (We have a theme song: Patrice Roberts Old and Grey. Check it out!)

My cup is full. I hope you find ways to fill up yourself, even in these times when it’s easy to succumb to despair. Hope is a choice. Love is a practice.  Get good at it.

Sayu