Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Wow.

When I landed in Boston I called my mom to let her know that I got home safely. She kept asking me what my favorite part of the trip was, but I couldn't find the words to describe it. Now, I thought it could have been the fact that I was running on 20 minutes of sleep, but over a week later and I feel like I am still processing how incredible this experience was.

Whenever I have thought about ASB or Oklahoma over the past week and a half a new memory has come up, each as amazing as the last. Sometimes I think about our culture days in the Wichita Mountains and in Bricktown. Other times I think about our home in the First Christian Church and all of the meetings, games of Catch Phrase, and late night conversations our group shared there. But most often I think about the work site. I think about all of the projects we did, from painting to cleaning to building. I have thought about seeing my new friends conquer their fears of climbing ladders and using power tools. Each of these moments will forever hold a special place in my heart. However, in reflecting on the experience as whole I finally figured out my favorite moment- it happened when we were leaving the work site for the last time. On my way to the vans I stopped to take a picture of house that I had spent the most time working on, and at that moment I thought "Wow. When we started the week this area looked like a construction site, but now it looked like a home." At that moment I could picture someone living there and it was incredible to think that we had a part in that. That moment made every bump and bruise worth it, and it just reaffirmed how much of an impact that service has. We helped build that house and that left a mark on Oklahoma, but these memories are Oklahoma's mark on me. Service makes you value things more and it gives you a better understanding of the world around you. The people I met and the things our group accomplished have changed me for the better, and that is something that I will carry with me forever.

Now I can tell my mom and anyone else who asks what my favorite moment was and I can describe even more of the amazing experiences that we had. After this reflection I feel ready to start spreading service at Framingham State with the other ASB members who I am lucky enough to call friends. Get ready Framingham- service is coming your way!

With so much love and gratitude,
Molly Buckley
Class of 2015