Day Nine: LUMCON

**Due to unforseen circumstances and various levels of stupor, this entry was not posted until now. It was composed on Friday, May 23, 2008. The time of the composition was not recorded.**

The world is a much smaller place than perception would lead one to believe. As human beings, we all have something in common. Be that common ground our background, skills, likes, or even dislikes, we all have some sort of connection with each other. With the proper nurturing, that connection can grow and cross bridges never imagined. Without it, those same connections seem to dissipate, to fall to ruin before coherence kicks in.  I must admit, I have thrown away more than my fair share of friendships, however, I feel that everything I have done is for the better. I may not be proud of the way that I have carried out some of these actions, but I will stand by my decisions.

People have the opportunity to meet new faces every day. Throughout this past week, I met about 20. Ive come to realize that strangers bring out the best in me. These people have taught me things about myself, better yet life, that I never would have discovered on my own. Im walking away from this experience wiser, stronger, and more aware of the world and my place in it. Im walking away from this experience with great friendships; Friendships i now cant imagine my life without. Im walking away from this experience with a more intuitive, understanding, and otherwise strong relationship with my best friend. Louisiana has given me more than I ever could have imagined. It is going to take every last muscle in my body to get in the van tomorrow. I dont want to leave.

As a team, the CLP ’08 group managed to connect, and create something more beautiful than most things I have had the opportunity to see. The display of raw emotions and world views expressed in our exhibit allowed each photograph to jump from the page and grip the viewer. The accompaniment of other art medias and tastefully collected treasures added even more passion to the display. This course brought us together, for what ever reason. We all came here searching for something. What ever aspect that may have been, I feel strongly that we found it within the boundaries of Louisiana.