Blessed in order to bless

The above quote by Annie Dillard sums up perfectly my thoughts on life in general, as does this quote by Jack Kerouac: "So shut up, live, travel, adventure, bless and don't be sorry." But in order to bless, one must be blessed--must be poured into in order to pour out. In my 21 short years--and even more so in these past six months--I have learned what it is to be blessed. You--whether you are family, a friend, or a sort of distant acquaintance--have been the one to teach me this. But we all of us are merely transporters, if you think about it. Check points, in which the blessings pass through from one person to the next. They are not intended as a sort of "the buck stops here" mentality. You are blessed in order to bless. This is what makes the world go 'round; not money or fame or power, don't you think? The world does not work on a basis of how much you or I deserve something; it is a grace-filled, hope-filled, faith-filled sort of sensibility that is our only hope of ever making it through alright. These past few months of preparation for the Czech Republic have been put in fast-forward mode for me, and suddenly I find myself believing I am ready for this. Whether this proves true or not--only time shall tell! No matter how you have supported me in this new adventure, I feel I owe you a true and honest account of how your support has affected me. I am interested in giving you a real and personal view into what life is like in the Czech Republic through the eyes of a young American who really has no idea what to expect. Thank you, thank you for what you have done in order to bring me to this new place in life. Buh ti zehnej--God bless.