I love the nations!  As a child I was fascinated by different cultures and people that seemed exotic in some way.  I had a certain sense of pride in being friends with those who were “different” —  ethnically, or otherwise.  

Today, that fascination has grown into a life focus.  I’m committed to not getting too caught up in my little middle class, white, Midwestern life experience.  I’ve been on several trips to different nations of the world, and it has opened my eyes.  We may have a lot of wealth, materially in the US — and that’s nice, because how else would someone like me get to travel all over the globe?? —  but the true riches of life seem to be found in abundance once you reach the shores of other lands.  I’ve come to realise how very bankrupt I am in the things that really matter, although, on most days, I feel like I have pretty much everything I could need or want.

Life never happens in a vacuum.  Whether or not we realise it, what happens to Sergei, Chen, Alfonso, and Paulo in their parts of the world affects you and me.  Our futures and destinies are tied together.  Eternity will show that our lives have always been connected, and though we feel like it’s easy to get lost, or to hide (depending on your personality)  in the “sea” of 6 billion people on the planet, we are all connected.  Your life affects mine, my life affects yours, and on and on from person to person all over the world, the reverberations of our lives have impact in the destiny of us all. 

In light of this, to keep from becoming some sort of “political” blogger, I started a new page on this blog dedicated to specific nations that I have a keen interest in.  You can keep tabs on it if you want. 

Maybe Disney was prophesying when they came up with the “It’s a small world after all . . ” song…