Finding Significance

I am home and it feels great.

Adam and I woke early Friday morning for the drive down to London from Manchester. I made the flight in plenty of time. I flew out of London Gatwick Airport and let me tell you, they know how to move people through security. They had individual tray areas for each person and if you were searched they moved you to the side away from the line. This probably doesn’t seem to impressive or unfamiliar to you, but after a year in Africa the efficiency and ease of it all was glorious.

If you ever wondered what northern Canada
looked like...

I flew Icelandair from London to Reykjavik, Iceland. The plane came in late and so I had about 15 minutes to connect to my flight home. I believe I would have missed it if it wasn’t for the connecting flights delay one hour. I was glad to see that. I boarded another Icelandair Boeing 757 home to Minneapolis. The flight flew over a bit of Greenland and Canada from top to bottom.

One never really sees the uppermost pieces of Canada considering it is all ice, but I thought it was cool. At around 7:30PM Central Time I landed. I was happy to see that both of my bags had also made it. I passed through customs easily. Though, the officer took a good hard look at me because with my long hair and beard I look nothing like my passport photo. He laughed, joked about it and welcomed me back into the great county we call the United States of America.

My welcome home was perfect. Both of my parents were there to greet me with a wonderful sign and all. After a year away I couldn’t have asked for more. It was great to be able to see them and finally speak in person. Technology is wonderful, but nothing can beat an in-person conversation.

Probably like all parents, they had made a few changes to the house and my room. I must say that they have done well because the changes are great. It is fun to see all of the things that have changed and been altered since I left. It’s also freaking great to sleep in my own bed. To add to that, it’s wonderful not having to secure a mosquito net around myself each night. I was even able to crack the window and allow some cool air to flow in throughout the night, something that doesn’t happen often in Africa.

It’s the small things in life.

Since this will be my last post on this blog I hope it is lessons like these that I have been able to teach and leave you with. I also want to take this time to truly thank each and every one of you for continuing to follow and keep up with me throughout the year. Being alone in a foreign land for a long period of time can bring with it challenges, though every time I sat down to write a blog I was filled with a sense of connectedness and that is because of you.

My amazing parents!

I enjoy writing, but it helps to have another to read what has been written. So, thank you for pushing me to continue with my blog and helping me document my entire experience. I also want to thank you for continuing to read even though there were some pretty lame jokes and random pieces that made their way into my blog posts.

Now that I am home I must decide on what my next adventure will be. I am unsure what I will choose to do in the coming year/s, but am very grateful to have a number of options and opportunities available to me as well as family and friends that will support me in whatever decision I choose.

I am sure the list will grow and then slowly dwindle until there is only one standing, but some thoughts on what I could do in the coming future are graduate school for psychology, find a job, pursue another volunteer position, buy a cheap car and travel and hit the road or just live off my mom and dad forever…you know the norms. I’m guessing that last one is out of the running and that I am too practical for the traveling idea so I suppose I’ll have to work out something for myself, though that is part of the fun. I am excited for the future and am happy to be able to carry my past experiences and lessons with me to the next parts of my life’s journey.

Hey, if you’re lucky I may even write a blog about my next adventure. Just what you want, right?

Well, my friends, I believe it is time for me to bring this blog to a close. Always remember that each one of life’s journeys is like a long ride on your Harley. You’ve got your boys riding next to you, a good looking woman on the back, it’s fast, loud and a hell of a lot of fun. Oh, and there is you who is a total badass.

Whether you are close to me or not, know me or don’t, like me or hate me it does not matter. I am happy to have had you along for this ride.

I have been in a constant search for significance throughout my time in Africa and abroad. I believe we all want to be significant in a way that brings us joy, happiness and meaning to our lives. To be seen as significant and to know oneself is significant are two different things.

Like most things in life, the answer to what I have been searching for has been right in front of me this entire time.

I have been able to find significance in the giving of myself to others.

Happy to be home!

In giving my time, energy and love to others I have found that it has created a strong sense of significance. When we give we also receive and so I am significant in the eyes of the ones I help and because of this I feel I have significance.

I have learned that when you raise another up you rise alongside them. To spend one’s time in the service of others is one of the greatest ways to use our time while we are here. There is no downfall to helping another. No one is able to make it completely on their own and so let us all continue to give ourselves and lend a hand. I promise, they will benefit, you will benefit and all of humanity and the entire world will benefit.

Now, I better go. My Harley is waiting and another ride has to be planned. I am excited for the next adventure to begin.

Take care, God bless and as always…

Thank you very much for reading!

-         Joseph Kerber

       Zambia and Tanzania Benedictine Volunteer 2015-2016