1 USD.

        Sincere apologies for my readers.  I no longer have the internet at my finger tips, so I don’t get to post as often as I’d like.  

I went back to work at Scenic Drive this week.  It has been so amazing seeing everyone, and knowing how much support I had while I was gone as well as my return.  I never thought in a million years that my stories would touch so many lives.  It brings my body to an overwhelming warmth knowing that there is so much empathetic value and passion in other peoples, even strangers hearts.  I was nervous at first.  Nervous to answer so many questions... nervous to how I would be able to respond.  Luckily, I think my mind, body and heart were ready for me to just scramble it all out.  I surprised myself with how I responded to everyone, and I couldn’t of been as strong as I was if it wasn’t for both my bosses there backing me up 100%.  I am forever blessed to have had them by my side for many years, and many years to come.  They have truly helped shape me into the person I am today.  

I have been more relaxed at work than I have ever been, not stressing about the little things... not getting irritated when people ask me to make them a “muddled old fashioned” while I am absolutely swamped... I realized how much I smile.  While I was flipping and counting through my tips last night after my shift, I saved my stack of one dollar bills for last.  I have always hated counting the ones.  I wonder why that is? I remembered when I made my “Support Haley’s trip to South Africa tip jar” a year ago, that started off with a one dollar bill that Wyatt, my bosses son, put into my tip jar. As I sat looking at the crisp one dollar bill I had in my hand, analyzing the art of the dollar, I remembered how valuable this dollar is to my African friends, and how un-valuable it is, or can be, here.  

Abdi.  He was the cigarette and chocolate bar man.  He had a table a couple blocks from our house where he sold cheap cigarettes and candy to all the drunk people leaving the bars.  I got to know Abdi pretty well.  Every day I would walk by him on my way home from work, he would always reach out for my hand and then give me a big warm hug.  He always made my day, and I never looked at him or his gestures as creepy.  He was a genuine person, with a kind heart.  The day before I left Africa, I was walking home from the store and Abdi stopped me for his normal greet, and said “Haley my love, I have a gift for you.”  I smiled at him and said, “Oh Abdi, I don’t need anymore chocolate, my butt is getting big.”  He laughed and said “no no no, no more chocolate, I have better gift for you.”  He then reached into his shoe box where he kept all his change and pulled out an American dollar.  One US dollar.  A one dollar bill.  I giggled at him and said “what’s this for?”  He had such a look of excitement on his face, it was like he was handing me a hundred dollar bill. He said, “I know you are going back to the states tomorrow, and you could use this more than I could, maybe you could buy something really nice with it.”  I almost started to laugh, and almost blurted out how you can’t even buy a candy bar with it in the states.. but then I stopped myself.  It didn’t matter that he was handing me a one dollar bill.  It’s the thought that counts, right?  I kindly accepted and said, “I will let you know what I choose to do with my dollar when I get back to the states.”  He was more than thrilled, and kissed my hand goodbye.  

I smiled at my thoughts, and then continued to count my tip money and wish that I could send him a one dollar bill in the mail.  

My drive home, I’m pretty sure I had a big smile on my face the whole way because when I pulled into my driveway... I sat in my seat for a moment, and didn’t even remember any of the songs that played on the radio on my way home.  I pondered and started thinking about all the great people in my life, how many people supported me while I was gone, and still do today.  How the support of a one dollar bill goes a long way in some peoples eyes. How did I get to be so blessed?  To be able to reach out to so many people, touch so many different lives in different ways?  I had no idea what I was getting myself into a year ago, but it was the best decision I ever made.  Because now people are seeing life through a different set of eyes, not only through me, but seeing what really goes on around the world.  People are changing the way they feel about other people.  People are finally giving other people, strangers, enemies, lovers.... they are finally giving them a chance.  I love being able to witness this, to see it happening right in front of me.  Because everyone deserves a chance.  And funny to think, it all started with a tip jar, with a one dollar bill in it to get me started on this journey.