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Lourdes, 2000
The awareness that my meagre time and
effort creates such a difference to others is one of the most unique feelings
anyone could ever come across.
Next September will be my fifth trip to Lourdes. People talk
about defining moments in life. Well, my first Lourdes trip was one such
moment. The people I worked with and helped touched me in a
way I never before thought possible. The reason I keep returning is to
recapture that feeling, and those special moments.
On first deciding to go to Lourdes, it was rather a scary prospect.
However after 10 minutes with the ‘guests' sick I was - to my utter surprise -
totally at ease.
At moments as small as pushing someone
downstairs for a cigarette to pushing a wheelchair to a mass in the Grotto, the
awareness that my meagre time and effort creates such a difference to others is
enough reward to fork out the few dollars to embark on the trip every
September. It is one of the most unique feelings anyone could ever come across.
There is no other place I can imagine where
you can go and meet so many young people with the same ideals. Even without
having deep and meaningful conversations there is a mutual respect, a common
bond with each other.
Having taken a break for 3 years within my 5 year
stint, I know that even if I were to miss the next 10 years, one day I would
return again.
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