A Bright Hope

Blog Post by Rodolfo Garcia, University of Fairbanks Graduate and friend of The MJ Project

It’s been nearly six years since I left my hometown of Inglewood, California, to attend school in Fairbanks, Alaska. It’s been six days since I graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. 

When I consider what lies on the horizon, I am filled with a bright hope. The future is illuminated by our efforts in the present day, and I know that with groups of people like the people in The MJ Project, darkness may someday be a thing of the past. 

While I’ve been away, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned about the natural world and about us all, as humans living in it. I’ve made connections between philosophy, mathematics, physics, chemistry, geology, biology, psychology, political science, history, and so many more fields of study. In having taken these courses, I’ve learned of a system of reality so delicate in its conditions, and simultaneously so robust in its ability to sustain itself, and I’m honored to be a part of this world alongside everyone. 

I have made connections that have made life worth living. I made friendships whose impacts will forever be felt by the people that witnessed and experienced them. I found people that became my family. And in addition, I found myself as well. I found what I love to do. I found what I can do to help others, and to make the world a better place.

The advantages of going to college outweighed any disadvantages of going, and any advantages of doing anything else. I am a new person today that I was not six years ago, and I would never have believed six years ago that I’d be who I am today. For the fortune I’ve had of being able to attend college, I owe many thanks to my mother, the scholarship fund at my university, and the MJ Project, for their support in finances and also their mental and emotional support as I pursued my dreams and my degrees. 

On the horizon I see a life full of spontaneity.

It’s this exciting novel moment, this spontaneity in my soul like firecrackers set aflame that provokes me to make a leap across the chasm of uncertainty in search of something new and exciting. 

Thank you all so much for assisting me and accompanying me on my journey as a student and human. I feel lucky to have made it this far and could not have done it alone. I see now that my life is merely still in the process of exploding into being, and that life continues to flourish so long as your spirit continues to develop and as we continue to learn and grow.

Metamorphosis is not fully complete, and the renaissance is still on its way. Mental and physical revolution are still inbound. I can’t wait to see what happens next and can’t wait to see where it is we all go. 

All the laughs and smiles, the urgent anger and the sadness. The tears that accompanied the tragedies and the joyful laughter, the undeniably permanently etched memories. 

“Because nothing is lost forever. In this world, there’s a kind of painful progress. Longing for what we’ve left behind, and dreaming ahead. At least I think that’s so.”

This is what life has shown me so far and it’s all life has ever wanted to show me. Don’t ever stop being yourselves, and continue to light up the world. Thank you all so much for lighting up mine.