So the end is in sight...

I don't know about Valentino, but the end is near for me. I am almost finished with the book. Today, my reading has streamed along the same topics of survival, friendship and faith. Valentino is still wrestling with the same thoughts that have been streaming through his head for the past few chapters. But, even if there are no stories of hope from Atlanta, there seem to be some stories of hope within his Kenyan stories. As far as I can tell, he is growing and maturing. Actually, I would have to say he has been mature since the age of seven. He had no time in his childhood to have a childhood. Right now he is around 19 or 20 and still possesses his roles as a leader within the Kakuma I district. He describes how he serves as a mediator within families between youth and elders. The dramas he has been involved in have been rather progressive for the Sudanese culture. Many depict the woman as being more independent and able to choose her husband rather than submit to family and culture. So, naturally, families begin to show some angst about their daughters acting in these productions...it might give them ideas.

Maria is one he would love to mediate for she has a passion for the arts. Her "father" is outraged she has been performing rather than watching over her adopted "mother" figure while she is about to give birth. Valentino (at this time Dominic) wants to see her act, but she feels she should not press the issue for she might succumb to a beating. Further, she does not want to have to interact with her "father" much for the fear he might find out she has had her first period; in Sudanese culture, a girl becomes a woman on this day. If he finds out, she might be wed off immediately. This arranged marriage defies her progressive thoughts as a woman within the Sudanese community.

So, this is where I stand. I will have to say, as much as the book is well written, I will just be glad to be finished. You know how sometimes a book will wear on you if it is around too long? Well, this is this book. If I had more time to engulf it within a few days, it wouldn't be so bad, but that is the problem. I have had to prolong this reading and spread it over three weeks. It has become so stagnant to me (and I don't mean the writing, content or anything in particular, itself). I feel as though I have let it expire and now I am just forcing myself through. There are particular books I wish I could have been able to savor like this one; I wish I could have plowed through it and finished. Oh well, such is life. C'est la vie.

I have learned some things about life from this book, as I have stated in MANY blogs about this ONE book...I think so far there are 17 blogs on it. I have learned:
1) Be patient...life moves quickly but those things you want don't quite move at the same speed.
2) Be grateful...at least I am not caught in a civil war...I have a bed, cool air, fresh food and water, friends, family and materials (yes...I know...materialistic) that I can at least call my own.
3) Love your family and friends...you just never know how long they will be around
4) Have faith...whatever God is out there looking out for us is there...we just might not notice immediately
5) Don't complain...walking in the snow is better than walking days in a desert.
6) Don't become too attached to anything in life...everything could disappear one day.
7) Value education...I do.
8) Keep moving. The light at the end of the tunnel will come...no matter how bad the circumstances.

Well, today has been the day from Hell. Bad customers and too many hours of work. I am grateful for working (see...I am already defying the things I preached above). I got a great workout with my buddy Dexter and was really happy to see my co-workers. My section at work was TRASHED. I felt like I would never catch up. I felt like a zombie at 6 this morning at Gap shipment. Today went from waking at 5:10...working at 5:50 to 10:45...huge workout...grocery store...Barnes and Noble 4:00-12:00AM to wake up tomorrow for work at 8:45AM.

Tomorrow, I will see Burton's Alice in Wonderland with Justin and Tim. Woo hoo!

Sleeeeeeeeep well.