Lugo, 20/08/2021.
Tonight I have been putting the photos of my stay in Poland in an album. I have been in the habit for quite a few years now and it helps me to remember moments without having to open a folder of thousands of files on my computer, which I would never do.
And as I was turning the pages, I realised, once again, all the good that this experience has brought to my life.
And the fact is that among so many images there are stories full of worries, fears, joys, scares, illusions…
So, to you, dear new volunteer, if you are reading this, I only wish you to let yourself be carried away in this adventure. That the pandemic, the guided paths and the supposed “steps to follow” in life are just excuses made by those who don’t want to get out of their bubble and comfort zone.
A few days ago a very good friend of mine was visiting me and told me that in his neighbourhood there is a light bulb enclosed in a cage and next to it a written sentence that says: “there is no cage capable of hiding the light”. And the fact is that no matter how many obstacles we have in our lives, the best thing we can do is to move forward, knocking down those we are able to and learning to coexist in the best possible way with those we cannot cope with.
So, enjoy, enjoy this opportunity you have been given and make the most of it, because this year will pass and it is up to you to fill an album with hundreds of memories, to add to the many you already have, and to write a chapter with adventures that will continue to shape your life story.
And finally, I would like to talk to you, the protagonists of my experience. To those of you who have truly shaped everything that I carry in my memory and heart so many kilometres away.
I want to thank you, because each of the people I have met during these months has given me something in their own way and has made me grown on a personal level. So thank you to all of you who have shared time with me, because at the end, volunteering is a lesson in humanity and solidarity, and I believe that we have learnt this lesson by far.
So with this letter I bring to a close so many life lessons that Poland has given me. Perhaps it is a full stop, following the advice of my favourite singer, who says: “to the place where you were happy you should not try to return”. But I am starting a new stage full of illusion, as I hope it happens to you too.
I send smiles and hugs to those I know and to those who will know the places that made me so happy and grateful.
CLARA MARÍA MARTÍNEZ GRANDÍO.