The Favour

I can't express what this trip to the United Kingdom has meant to me. Truly, I can't. I've had so many private moments with so many people, moments that affirmed, moments that challenged, moments that made me laugh. I'd sit down and attempt to write these memories into my blog and then simply save them, I realized somewhere before typing the first letter and writing the last paragraph that these moments were shared, private and had a degree of intimacy to them.

There are things I know now, because of these interactions that I didn't know before. Things about progress and hope, things about direction and determination, things about courage and obstinancy. Little chats sometimes happened sponateously at breaks. Other conversations happened because people came purposely early. Even others happened spontaneously leave both of us surprised.

In some ways it was as if I became a little more human on this trip. I've been over here often enough to stop being DAVE HINGSBURGER THE PRESENTER and simply be Dave. A loss of a bit of awe made for things much more personable and a lot more real. I appreciated each person's effort to connect with me. I appreciated each bit of insight I gained from each interaction.

From self advocates to parents to care providers my audiences were varied in their make up and in their need but they were united in their purpose. Vision is not lacking. Ideals are not dead. Hope now fuels determination, a reversal that needed to happen.

So, I'm thankful all.

I leave changed.

I hope I returned the favour.