Amelia Diaz
Hope in Imagination
In Honduras, mountains and valleys are vast; there is not a single spot in Honduras where you can't see a mountain from where you stand. When you look at the horizon you can see layers of mountains, as if they were neatly arranged like standing dominos. When I was young, I imagined and even tried to guess what lay behind each mountain. Instead of thinking how many miles away a town was, I thought of how many mountains away it was. I imagined different towns and cities in between each mountain, but most importantly I imagined that at the top of the last mountain, which was always the highest, the earth met the sky.
At a young age, my mother moved to New York. Whenever I had the opportunity to look across the many layers of mountains I imagined my mother being where the last mountain touched the sky. For all I knew, New York had to be there, in the valley below the farthest mountain. Although I never thought the Earth was flat, I was perhaps too young or naïve to make sense of the things I imagined. At the time and even today, I could not share my thoughts and imaginations, for I knew it was "silly".
Today, I am no longer surrounded by those beautiful mountains that cultivated my imagination. Instead, I carry only the memory of how my imagination allows me to see and believe in the world through the eyes of what I choose. My imagination is no longer a fictional escape from reality; it is now the real values and beliefs that cultivate my hope for the world.
When I was younger, my hope was to imagine that my mother was closer than I knew she was. When I was younger, I also did not know of the injustices and sorrows of the world. Today, as I watch a movie about Bosnia, I keep learning about suffering and the hope that is required in order to change at least one small part of the world. For as I try to help, I learn that it takes more than knowledge to help the world; it takes hope and faith to want more than simply to conform to the actions and beliefs of those who are not for the world but only for themselves.
As a human being, it is hard for me not to judge; nevertheless, it becomes more apparent that I need to have love and compassion in order to see beyond the message of those in power that wish to change my values and beliefs. I will not conform to anything less than hope, faith and compassion for the world. I know I can do it because Jesus said that I could do more than reach the highest mountain:
"For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)
About Amelia Diaz
Amelia Diaz is a Junior Criminal Justice Pre-law major with a minor in Political Science and Sociology. After graduation, she plans to pursue a law degree and then a doctorate in Political Science. Subsequently she hopes to open a nursing home for children and the elderly in Honduras. Maintaining close relationships with God, family and friends are important to Amelia. She hopes to marry while in law school, raise a family in Honduras, provide significant care for her parents and family, and "simply…be a nurturing mother, daughter, and wife."
Amelia's favorite aspect of Mercyhurst is "the abundant opportunities to take on leadership and service. The professors and administration are always open to listen to new ideas and support students as much as possible. It is a joyful environment for exploration, both personal and professional."