Service in the US Peace Corps in 1982 to 1984 was a 27-month investment in my life more than 40 years ago that continues to pay dividends today.

A significant life lesson for me has been that substantive improvements in quality of life take vision, hard work, and decades, often generations. The corollary to that is that near-term (current) economic disruptions, although often unbearably painful, do not endure.

I went over to Nepal to help farmers grow more food with limited resources. We did great things together regarding growing more crops. The great prize was I learned far more from the people of Nepal than they learned from me. The monetary compensation was effectively all the boiled white rice I could eat for 2 years. The education I received was priceless.

Humans are all just people. The very poor children of Nepal loved to laugh and learn. Their parents loved their children and hoped for a better world for them.

I come from a proud military heritage. That service asks more. No one was shooting at me (although that is not always an absolute). But when given a chance to volunteer in service, I highly recommend it!

Happy 64 years, Peace Corps!!!
[also 64 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2. Pretty cool, eh?]