When I decided to apply for the Peace Corps, I definitely spent a lot of time weighing the pro’s, the con’s and the reasons why I was drawn to work in what might be the oddest , most be extreme, lowest paying job the government has to offer. It would be a lie if I said that the things my dad had done didn’t cross my mind. How could it not have played a part in my ambitions? I mean you can’t listen to people talk about how much they appreciate the things he did without considering the idea that there might be something to the madness. Yes, it is madness. One of my peers once told me, “We all have to be a little bit crazy to want to do the Peace Corps.” We must be crazy. However, I’m hoping the rewards are worth the trip. I mean, the looks on people’s faces when they talk about him, the gratitude that they have for what he’s done for them, there’s nothing like it.
It is true though, when I think of all that my dad has accomplished in his life and what he’s given to others, the amount of lives he changed for the better, I can only hope to accomplish a fraction of what he’s done in my own lifetime. The amount of people he helped bring to America, the amount of people he housed, the people he mentored and the countless other things he did to help someone out of a tough spot…it’s incredible. He did it all just because he cared. He wasn’t selective either. He would go out of his way to help complete strangers. He never asked for anything in return. He didn’t want credit for it. He just did it.
One of the most inspiring things is that he grew up in a rural community in the Philippines not so dissimilar from the one in which I’m living in right now. He became the first in his family to get an education and pulled everyone up with him. He didn’t just forget everyone else…he wasn’t leaving anyone behind. A lot of the time, I think if I can just help one person better his/her life…who knows what he/she will do for the community after I leave. It’s not really measurable, but I’m certain that’s part of the sustainability of our work that we strive for in the Peace Corps. I keep thinking my work here might end up being just a drop in the bucket, but that one drop will make ripples. That’s what my dad did. Well actually he didn’t just make ripples…he pretty much unleashed a series tsunamis into the ocean. I’m hoping to be a pretty formidable wave.
The truth is that lately, I’ve wished that I could ask him for advice about things that I’m doing and want to do here. You know that question, “If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?” Well, I now have a real answer to it. I would want to talk to my dad. I’d want to talk to and listen to him as an adult and hear what he has to say. It’s been many years since I’ve heard him articulate thoughts and ideas. To be able to speak to him as an adult would be amazing. Alas, it is not possible. However, it turns out that I am my father’s daughter. So maybe I don’t have to look far to find the answers to my questions. Maybe I have them with me already.
I miss you Dad. Happy Father’s Day.
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