Back on active duty?

 
I just volunteered for a six-month tour out of the country; whether or not I’ll be approved for that has yet to be decided, but — because of my language background — I probably have an advantage insofar as selection goes. I’m not sure what exactly are the security considerations on this one, but just to be safe I won’t go into public detail regarding where I’ll be stationed or what I’ll be doing.

The good news: a six-month tour. Less of a commitment than a full year, but still serious duty, and I’m not just trying to make myself look good when I say I love this stuff; if I didn’t really mean it, why would I keep volunteering? And it’ll be a place I’ve never been before, or expected to go, with duties specific to my area of training. A fantastic learning opportunity, if nothing else.

The bad news: This will start just before the one-month assignment in Germany would begin, so I’ll have to give up the one to get the other. I’ll be away when my son and ex-wife are received into the Catholic Church on Easter Sunday. And my daughter (currently in South Korea), whom I haven’t seen in seven months, will be back for a two-week visit during the time that I’m out of the country.

That’s just life. Sometimes, one thing you want gets in the way of something else you want. So, you make the best choice you can, and be prepared to follow it out. My daughter is away because she, too, loves what she’s doing; we’ll see each other again, eventually, and in the meanwhile we’ll both be where we want to be.

This newest opportunity reminded me, though, of just how much my world has expanded in the past five years. Even apart from international travel, I’ve made considerable progress toward my goal of visiting all 50 U.S. states. In the cut below, a quick summary of where I’ve been:

( States and Countries )

Any other projects I’m on, I’d better finish quickly or organize them so I can finish while I’m away … because the new assignment, if it comes through, will begin in just over a month.

Loving my life.