In the summer of 2007, I had the experience of a lifetime... I lived, loved, and flourished in the Dominican Republic, volunteering in the tiny mountain town of El Papayo as a translator for the medical clinic we were providing. On the first day we were there, the people of the town held a dance for us. I vividly remember one song from that evening, "Mi Corazoncito" by Aventura --- a song which has come to represent the nostalgia of fullness of heart for me. That night, I danced bachata into the wee hours with people who would become an imprint on my heart forever. In the days following, I heard that song daily (multiple times!). I danced to it almost every night. I heard it blaring from the stereo of my host family's neighbors as we walked to clinic each morning. It played in the clinic as I strained to translate symptoms and sympathy. It floated through the air and blended with the whirring of the tools in the dental clinic. The notes and lyrics wafted through the air as we sat, exhausted, and ate meals together. And finally, I heard it on the radio in the bus just after we had said our final goodbyes to those who made the experience most meaningful. As the bus waved back and forth along the mountain roads, making its way back to the city, I looked out over the lush mountain greenery and tears began to stream... That song, that moment, embodied everything that experience was for me. I felt a warmth swell through my heart and I realized that I was happy and truly fulfilled. "Mi corazoncito" literally means "my little heart." Sure enough, on that day, my OWN little heart was changed forever... So, I started this blog to pay homage to that feeling of fullness in mi corazoncito (and, obviously, as a way to procrastinate studying). Whether it's a little thing like playing games with a six-year-old or a big thing like the chain of organ donation I read about in a magazine today, I will simply relay the things I find bring a smile to my heart and a spring to my step. I can't promise that you won't be bored, but I can hope that you will take a little of that fullness of heart and pour a bit into your daily dose of happiness. Cheers!
