Bloom Where You Are Planted

It was wonderful to hear that the girl in the vest is in the middle of being adopted :)

When I was young I had two big dreams.  

First, I wanted to grow old and live alone in a small apartment over a book store with 15-20 adopted cats. Second,  I wanted to volunteer at an Orphanage.  Ok, let's be honest - that's not entirely true - I wanted to HAVE my own orphanage. 

After I met Harry I had to give up the living alone with cats, so that left the orphanage.  After moving to Korea I realized that I was no closer to running one but I could do the next best thing, start volunteering.  So that's just want I did last month.  Conveniently, there is one only a mile from my house.

Today was only my second activity with them, and it felt just right.  Some kids were angry, some kids happy, others kids tough, and some easily broken but they all had a huge capacity for love and affection.

Folks have asked why I want to volunteer and I don't really know what to say.  It's just what I've always wanted to do.  There has never been an expectation that I'll get anything from it, although I think I'd be the luckiest person in the world if any of the kids wanted to come home and live with me.  It would be kind of like winning the lottery but better... but I've wandered off my point.

Anyway, I have no delusions about saving them, these kids don't need saved - nobody does - they just need fun and love.  If anything I hope that they learn that their lives are ok just the way they are.  That even if they never have the perfect family, they are still lovable and valuable just as they are.

This little one took every bruise, trip and beating soccer could give her but she just got back up.