On Glide and such

Maha Malik '13

Something Kurt said at reflection yesterday really struck me. He said that we're not just here to learn about things but also to learn how to talk about the things that we experience. We are nearing the end of our trip, and I believe that these are lessons of which we should be constantly aware. As was mentioned yesterday, what we believe, our faiths and ideologies make us who we are. They define us in many ways and so talk to about what we believe and be questioned about what we believe can never easy. What is important is to learn how to ask questions and answer them, to express our opinions in the safe space that we construct for each other. We are all the builders of this space. And the conversations that can result will always be something we can be proud of.

Our group has made me proud on many occasions.

Each one of us approaches challenges in different ways. Some of us look at experiences mainly through the lens of our faith, others through our field of study and so on. So every night when we gather around the table to let our thoughts out we bring those diverse perspectives and talk.

But what this trip has taught me is the importance of listening. I have learned to listen and I am very thankful to the members of this ASB for that.

Glide was an extremely challenging experience for all of us. What I took away from the service at Glide and the many people there that I had the chance to talk to was not just my own experience. I also took away the experience of each and every trip member who shared their thoughts with me, with honesty and intellectual generosity. For that, I am grateful.