Had a brief conversation with a young man from The Gambia. He has been in the USA for seven years. He graduated from college in North Carolina - Montreat College! Same college my mentor earned a pastoral care credential from. Adain (young man) has a BA International Business with a minor in Marketing. As I type now, he is mopping a floor. While I was listening to him I could sense his appreciation for the opportunities that he has had thus far on his journey in the United States. He was so positive...so upbeat...so pleasant. I was reminded of the fragility of the employment market as I felt his appreciation for LIFE and OPPORTUNITY. I was also reminded of the man I met 3yrs ago that lived in a refugee camp in Rwanda for 2 years. He made it to the US without his siblings. They were killed during the genocide. He is now working for Emory University. The more and more I experience unemployment and limited employment the GREATER APPRECIATION I have for education, hard work, and life. My inspirations have always been men/women who value breathing, living, and WORKING!

A man told me this morning, “Life is not hard if you know how to live. Learn to live..." 

The Touch