Final post

Ah, after 4 plane flights I am finally home.  There is a cat adhered to my lap (Ranma, who's picture was one of my first posts) and I am full of mixed emotions.  There is some residual elation and trepidation surrounding the days of work to come, and also a deep sadness because I miss my new friends so much already.  If I go back, it'll still be amazing but not the same.

The last few days in Antarctica the lyrics of a song were playing in my head.  The song is by a group called Calaveras.

"I am standing on the edge of the water
And I am watching the wild birds fill the sky
And I am longing to be lifted up among them.
I am not dying, I'm getting ready to fly."

That kind of joy I felt when looking out at all those beautiful vistas make me unafraid of the future, of life and all its accompanying stressors, and also unafraid of my own mortality.  It reminds me to stay in the moment and truly experience life.  I also feel desperate to preserve this place, to teach our children to be good citizens of the Earth (sadly, already seems cliche). To preserve Antarctica and its species so that others can not just enjoy it, but carry it in their hearts for the rest of their lives.