It's strange how quickly the image conjured up of a place can change so quickly for so many. If I'd used "Haiti" in the subject line two weeks ago, I'd guess most of you wouldn't quickly think of how it's the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. Maybe you'd remember that they speak French or that it's on an island. But now... the very name of the country is synonymous with damage, destruction, and heartbreak for many Americans who have caught glimpses of stories on CNN, the radio, Twitter badges and ribbons, facebook statuses and even text messaging donation campaigns. But more than that, I think there are some important lessons worth examining in the middle of this...
Perhaps it's resolution-making hangover inherent in the start of a new calendar year and simultaneous beginning of another semester, but I've felt particularly optimistic about my future in graduate school recently. But, I'm going to choose to remain optimistic here and choose to believe that it's recent intellectual discussion - of the sort I honestly thought I'd be a part of when I got to graduate school (back when I was young and innocent - and thus could potentially recapture this enthusiasm when necessary by engaging in similar discussions.