And off I went to Srbija

This was written at some point right before I left Maine...

Before leaving Maine, I had to stop off at Sebego Lake for one last swim. With whom? James of course... He just drove up from NYC to see me before I go, and reconnect with the soil here. We drove out to St. Joe's and went to a spot that the two of us, among many others, used to frequent back a few years. Generally, we would head out from the Old Port around two am on the really hot summer nights. It was a quiet spot at that time, and the water was always refreshing.

While there this time, I found a rock to sit on and reflect on the day's gone by and all the things that have happened to me since the last time I was out there, and also since I had come to Maine. I felt good about my time here, and even though it took a while for me to find a path that I liked, the discoveries along the way have had a formative impact on my life. I don't mean to say I feel old, because I don't (how could I?) or that I am behind in some way. Really, sitting on that rock, with the sun receding and the water lapping at my feet, I felt content.

After a while, I realized I was just listening to the water moving past, the birds, and the rushing wind. It was so calm, I was so calm. It made me think of Old Joe from the Bronx. He once told me that people need to take note of these moments of true contentment, so that later, when they no longer feel good, they at least have the memory of that moment. Good idea Joe. It also made me wonder if going to BG was really a wise choice. It seemed so antithetical to the moment of contentment on that rock. Working for the OSCE and getting into the world of politics, power and nationalism is so far from this small lake in southern Maine.

But I knew I was going, even if there was some doubt. There was no way to turn down this chance. If things don't work out, I can always return. I have no problem with that.