Day: April 30, 2008

Other

In Memory

Becca

Today, I found out today that my classmate from grade school was killed in Afghanistan. I haven’t seen Jake  in several years, but this still hit me surprisingly hard. We come from a small town, went to a small private school. And maybe a bond like that never really goes away.

 

When I knew Jake he was just a wide-eyed gangly kid, wandering the playground like the rest of us. And always smiling.

 

He volunteered to return to Afghanistan for a second tour. He was proud of what he was doing for himself and for his country. It sounds like he had found purpose in life; that he was growing up.

 

Jake is the first person I have personally known who has died because of this war. Something like this can fuel an anger unrelenting. According to The Washington Post’s tally,  4,531 American soldiers have fallen in the Iraq and Afghanistan missions.

 

I wish his family the best and I hope they know how many people are thinking and praying for them.

Other

A Week of Lasts

Becca

Yesterday, I had my last two classes. And as I walked out of Kenneth Turan‘s film review class at 9:30 p.m., I was struck with how beautiful USC’s campus really is. I walked (in flip-flops mind you) by the beautiful brick buildings, and around the track field, illuminated by the football lights, and all I could think about was how fast these two years had passed me by. I’ve been blessed with some great teachers and mentors, and met some amazing people. I’ve juggled more than I thought possible (two jobs, an internship, and a full school load) and learned about myself and the limitless possibilities of my life. I’ll miss hearing the marching band rehearse, and even dodging the bicycles. But I’m ready for the next chapter of my life. And I know that as each year passes, and USC becomes just a distant memory, it will become all the more clear how truly monumental this time was to my life.