Note: A lack of an internet connection delayed the posting of the final day of the FLC Countdown
The past two and a half weeks have surpassed anything I could have expected. I have followed the polo crew of SLU to high profile meetings and relaxed road trips. I have witnessed firsthand the chain of command and inner workings of a self-motivated organization built from vision and determination, and I have been convinced of the power of a few but dedicated individuals to shape their world. Perhaps the first evident observation is the months of preparation that have been funneled into this conference. The conference, as a result, will be comprehensive, but behind all of those details is a mound of painstaking effort. The virtue of perseverance may be simple, but it is certainly not expendable. Oftentimes, it is the multitude of small and thankless jobs that chart the difference between success and failuire. Those on the outside of any venture only see the remarkable outcome and can sometimes have difficulty appreciating the magnitude of the willpower, time, and energy that can make a conference or an event successful.
Perseverance is not an easy virtue to develop. Perhaps as children we grow accustomed to perceiving a single side of the world. With every basic need at our fingertips, the result of our parents' labor is readily welcomed while the efforts that made them possible are not as appreciated. Coming of age involves, in no small part, recognizing that life is not so easy, and that for most of us, it consists of diligence and fortitude punctuated by small victories. The same is true for an organization or nation. The outcome of Sri Lanka's litmus test relies on its young people who must be willing to put forth the service and hard work necessary to mold a model of civil living that can be the envy of the world, even if it requires a lifetime of perseverance.
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