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statue of John Carroll, Georgetown's founder, this morning November 14, 2015 

Red Square, November 14, 2015

Life is strange sometimes. Last night felt like the entire world was falling apart—Paris under attack, suicide bombs in Beirut and Baghdad, earthquakes in Japan and Mexico, and protests and ambulances on campus. My cell phone, for whatever reason, stopped working last night, but I luckily can receive iMessages on my laptop. Melissa informed me of Paris, and for a long moment of ignorance being bliss, I forgot that my friend Ana is in Paris. Then I remembered, and from that moment to the one in which I got a hold of her, I experienced all-consuming fear.

I'm writing this as the Georgetown pep band performs very loudly outside my window. The sun is shining, the Healy clock tower chimes the quarter of the hour, and the wind sighs heavily. The juxtaposition of terror and beauty are nearly overwhelming, but I'm grateful to be in the beauty now. I'm grateful that there is beauty today to remind the world that hope exists. I'm grateful for the strength of human spirit which allows us to continue even in the most difficult of times.

A week from right now, I will be in Nebraska visiting my extended family. I will have completed 7 major assignments/assessments and, ideally, several interviews for my linguistics final project. I have been anxious and overwhelmed lately. It's often said that Georgetown's midterms start the third week of classes and last until the week before finals; right now I'm inclined to agree with that statement. I have thirteen more days of classes, after which we have reading days and then finals.

My current goals include getting my phone fixed, taking a nap, and surviving the next week of work. I pray for peace in the world, peace in our hearts and home, and peace in my mind.