"Life is Good" comes full circle

I often marvel at life's coincidences. Two of my students are currently vacationing in Lake Placid, New York, and they were walking through a shopping center and popped into a Life is Good store. If you don't know Life is Good, they are the laid-back t-shirt and paraphernalia store with the infectiously optimistic mantra and the ubiquitous smile of Jake, their logo.

My students, Hillary Austin and Alyson Wright, pictured left and right, respectively, were browsing the store and came across a notebook of various letters to Life is Good. To their surprise, they noticed one of them was from me while I was living in Baghdad. They sent me this picture holding the notebook with my letter that reads,

Hi “Life is good” crew,

I thought you all would enjoy the attached picture taken in Baghdad, Iraq where I have been for over a year. Playing Ultimate Frisbee with local Iraqis (teaching them the game has been a hoot!) and subscribing to the motto “life is good”, even amidst falling mortars and rockets, have kept us going.

My dear friend sent me a bunch of your stickers, the disc, and a few other things. They are a huge hit here as you can imagine how much people are thirsting for reminders of life (rather than death) and even more so, reminders that life is good. Here we have even started a daily report, the “good news goose”, where we can note good things that have happened to us during the day. It’s all a part of keeping the right focus.

Thank you so much for all you’re doing and for your infectious optimism and enthusiasm. It is felt in all corners of the world!

Cheers,

Janessa

I find it so amazing how things come full circle...that students of mine with whom I'm sharing my passion for the Middle East would remind me of the time in which my own passion was cultivated. What a cool world. Thanks Hillary and Alyson! :-)