What I’m Missing

The other day I was Facebook chatting with a close friend. He told me that his girlfriend and him are expecting their first child. Their wedding will come after the baby is born. I’m so excited for him because I know that he will make a great father and husband, but hearing the news made me sad. It has nothing to do with him, his girlfriend, the baby, or the wedding, though. The sadness comes from the fact that I’m in Samoa, thousands of miles away from my family and friends. It’s easy to forget that the world hasn’t stopped moving back home; people are getting married, they’re breaking up/divorcing, they're having children, and sadly, they’re dying. I have to remember that when I return home, in December of 2014, things will not be the way they were when I left. I’ve already missed an important event: my sister’s wedding, which occurred during my PST (pre-service training). Missing the wedding was the first time I experienced an “oh my gosh, life is still happening at home” moment, and it was extremely saddening because I wish I could have been present; I would have given anything to be there. The second time was during the Facebook chat, mentioned above.

I know that I will have many more moments over the next 23 months because life hasn’t stopped in the States; people are living their lives, just like I’m living my life in Samoa.