I recently came across this article in the NY Times (in my opinion, the best news paper out there), which was simultaneously thought provoking and a slap across the face.
Like many other college students and Americans, often I blurt out “BUSY!” when someone asks me how I’m doing or how my day is going. The past year I’ve learned that business can take it’s toll. At the past two semesters have been completely draining, by the time finals finished up, I basically spent the rest of the next week lying low in bed at home, exhausted from the toll of academics, track/cross country, chemistry club, campus fellowship, and other activities. Often during my rest week (which really is a rest week, no running!) I wonder why I continue to trudge through it all. A lot of times it seems that everything is flying by so fast that I’m not able to take any of it in. Ferris Bueller said it best: Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
So often we’re caught up with the end goals of things (final grades, running goals, etc…) we forget to take in everything else and soak up the journey! Business often overwhelms me, but it also gives me joy. I don’t see it as a burden at all. There’s so many great opportunities and activities to explore in college and time is so limited. The problem I have is choosing, I want to do it all. Although I am often running from one thing to the next (figuratively and literally), I’m happy through all of it. For me it’s going from one thing I love to another. In order to “stop and look around once in a while”, I enjoy journaling. Honestly, before I came to college I viewed it as an activity that only “girls did”, but I’m so glad that I’ve gotten into a consistent pattern. I primarily use it to log my spiritual journey with the Lord and also write down other note worthy items or interests in my life at the time. It’s really cool to look back on how I’ve my perspectives and outlooks on all different facets of life have changed throughout my time at Drake.
One of the greatest experiences over the past two summers has been attending the Altitude Project, a Christian running camp in Mammoth Lakes, CA. It’s a bit of a bummer this year, the camp is just entering it’s second week, and unfortunately I won’t be able to make it back because I’ve been working in Ann Arbor (which has also been a blessing). Looking back, a few key points of what I learned, routes I ran, people I met, and sights I saw stand out, but there was so much more to those trips than my memory can tell. Thankfully I was consistent in journaling each day, and have been encouraged, reminded, and delighted on all the little memories I jotted down. Journaling in a sense is one of the ways I’ve been sure that I “don’t miss it”.
My time here in Ann Arbor has been relatively “un-busy”. Besides work and running, my days are relatively un-occupied, and I’ve enjoyed reading, watching movies, and a lot of other things I enjoy but don’t often have lots of time to devote to. It’s been a nice change of pace, but I can’t wait to get back to home and then Drake to get involved and reunited with the people, places, and activities that bring me joy!
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