SUBMISSION DATE: JULY 29. 2006

VOLUNTEER: Kelli Monedero

NOTES: not edited, copy and pasted with permission

TITLE: HOW TO WRITE THE FINAL CHAPTER OF A BOOK?

In most of the recent books that I have read the final chapter of the book tends to be kind of like a wrap-up. It tends to close the stories of most of the main characters that have been introduced in the adventures and tales that have been told on the pages prior. Bo usually realizes that he has loved Isabella for the entire duration of the book, and decides to confess his love for her, and kiss her with passion that is relentless and undying. Chase realizes that it isn’t the outlaws that have been trying to take all of his money and his cattle, that it’s one of his own, one that he raised as his own son. As the tale is told, the truth comes out in the wash.

I have been trying to figure out how to write about my final days here in NOLA. I have experienced so many different things along my adventure here that trying to put into one chapter seems to be a bit ideal. To be able to wrap-up everything that I have learned, understood and taken as a part of me in one chapter would be one lengthy chapter that would continue to be written over the course of the next 5 or so months.

I have been faced with some difficult situations here in New Orleans. Some sights that I never dreamed possible on American soil, some people that breezed in and out of my life changing most pieces of who I am, dishonesty staring me right in the face-literally, difficult people to work along side each day, and people just wanting to do something-anything to help the current situation that is just an average day in New Orleans.

There have been times when I wanted to write down every single word that has come out of his mouth, and times that the sound of her voice any more through out the day might actually make my skin crawl. There have been times of utter content, knowledge of being right where I’m suppose to be right at this time, and numerous days of wondering why I have been here all summer, and if I have actually helped do anything of great value. Times of rolling tears because of an ache in my heart that longs to be known by someone, and the same rolling tears of someone flipping through the pages of my mind’s eye and reading it with such ease. Times of cheers-ing with people about the days to come, the lives to change and the ability to let the comfort of ours(lives) be different in a way immediately unseen, but abruptly felt. There have been times of providing the kind of friendship that I give to a select few, but in an intense situation such as the destruction and resurrection of New Orleans has pulled those parts out of me, forcing me to be most of who I am every single day. It can be exhausting. And has been.

When I spoke with Mandy I was telling her that I think that I will continue to learn from this experience throughout the next few months and hopefully years of my life, and she agreed. I’m not sure that it’s humanly possible to take something of this magnitude and learn everything possible from it in approximately 8 weeks. And I’m not sure that I would want to do that anyways. I’m a firm believer that in order for change to be real (and that’s what I’m looking for here, is to be a better person after an experience such as this), it doesn’t happen over night- or in 8 weeks in my case, sounds cliché right? But seriously. Because in order for things to change, it must occur at the core, or at the belief. And after 26 years of the knowledge that I have, and as stubborn as I am, change is liable to take some time. But surprisingly enough, much change has already occurred, and I’m sure that there are changes, as I said previously, that are immediately unseen.

So as I try to write the final chapter of my New Orleans journey, I’m realizing that it won’t be a chapter at all. What I’m hoping for is a lifetime journey. I’m hoping that I will be able to look back on this experience over my entire life with growth and learning. My goal is to come down here at least once a year for about the next 10 and watch the progress of an old city become new again. Maybe that’s a selfish goal for me too..