my heart breaks for berkeley

berkeley is a place that has grown to take up a huge place in my heart.

the culture, the history, the intellect--

everything is so vastly rich and wonderful that i am frequently and massively humbled to be an admittedly insignificant part of such a place.

lately, though, berkeley has been hurting in a big way.

extreme budget cuts and fee increases have left campus in a state of turmoil.

students are outraged, and i know in my heart that the administration is doing everything they can to fix things, but they're not doing anything quickly enough.

occupy cal has drawn national attention.

protests have interrupted classes, spirit rallies, and just generally everyday life.

to make matters worse, last tuesday there was a shooting at the business school.

a student brandished a gun and got shot by the cops. he died.

on friday night, as my friends and i were driving to the movie theater to see breaking dawn, we smelled fire. on our way home (3 hours later) we saw a huge fire raging on telegraph (which, if you are unfamiliar with berkeley, is the main thoroughfare).

we soon learned that not only had our favorite restaurant and favorite bar been destroyed, but so had the 39 apartments above the businesses. 70 students are homeless, all of their worldly belongings destroyed, 3 weeks before final exams.

i cannot even begin to imagine.

so, this week, i am going to be especially thankful for my health, happiness, and home.

and i will be even more thankful for my experiences in berkeley these past 3 and a half years.

i ask for your prayers for a place that has truly become my home.

pray for berkeley!

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