Y E S !

2010.03.01. 16:23

Not long after arriving in Hungary, we ventured to Budapest for several days of orientation in August.  During this time we were introduced to a series of highly regarded professors, lecturers, musicians and authors who provided us with a thorough introduction to the culture, history and traditions of Hungary.  While all of this information has greatly contributed to my continuing understanding of this country, one seemingly simple yet quite insightful piece of advice originating from these seminars has remained at the forefront of our minds becoming, in a sense, our maxim during this sojourn.  One of the speakers concluded his speech with four simple words:  “Say ‘Yes’ to everything”.

Before setting foot on Hungarian soil, we had already begun to take the first steps towards recognizing this advice.  Should we really pack our suitcases and leave the comforts and familiarity of home, family and friends for nearly a year in a country we know very little about?  Are you sure this is a good idea?  Yes

A few days after we arrived, the diocese of Pécs was celebrating its one thousandth anniversary.  Do we dare brave the high temperatures, unfamiliar location and packed square to attend this historic event?  Yes

 In the days that followed we questioned if it would be prudent to wander the unfamiliar streets of our neighborhood.  What if we got lost?  How could we ask for directions?  Weren’t we still a bit tired from our twenty-hour trip?  Should we give it a try?  Yes, and we were rewarded with the discovery of a picturesque church hidden among the maze of apartment complexes and houses.

 Do we really want to go out tonight?  It’s dark.  It’s raining.  It’s snowing.  We may not even be able to find the place.  “Say ‘Yes’ to everything”.  What an amazing concert!  It was a fantastic dance performance!  The play was terrific!

 We’ll never be able to find the Harkany Spa and if we do, how do we get in?  Where do we get changed?  Which way do we go?  Should we give it a try?  Yes, and again our compensation was a restful, calming, serene soak in the warm and soothing mineral baths.

Tesco is such a large supermarket.  How will we find the milk, the eggs, the bread?  Is this butter or margarine?  We won’t be able to read any of the labels.  How will I wash my car?  All of the directions are in Hungarian?  Dare I attempt it?  Yes

 Drive our ten-year old car to Croatia? Macedonia? Serbia? Greece? Austria? Germany?  It will never make it.  How will we find the hotel in the vast sprawling capitals of Vienna and Athens?  Should we… Yes!

 The foreign film festival?  Milk from a truck?  Soup with chicken feet? Serpentine roads with no guardrails?  Rocky paths high above canyons? The limbo?  Langos?

 Looking back over the past six months, I am pleased to report that our record of saying “yes” remains quite good.  This record also gives me pause to reflect on those times in my past when I was unable, or more accurately, unwilling to reply in the affirmative.  What adventures, new tastes, smells, experiences, lessons, realizations I must have missed.  Our justifications, explanations and excuses often exclude us from experiencing the most magical, meaningful memories life has to offer. 

 There are many lessons which this challenging journey has taught me and which I hope to carry with me when I return to America.  One of the most valuable insights is contained in those four words of advice:  “Say ‘Yes’ to everything!”

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