Bring Your Troubles; Lay ‘Em Down.

As the year comes to an end, I can’t help but reminisce in a cliche but honestly fond manner.  Spring semester ’11 was the hardest and most challenging time of my life. I learned that 18 hours was a mistake and that it is during the struggling times you find friends in unexpected places. Summer came swiftly and graciously, where I was able to learn more about myself and help the homeless community in Austin. Living on my own led to self-discovery and was a refreshing 3 months. H&L and 4E taught me more than I could have imagined, and it is because of the people that brought ideas so profound but in a humble manner that blew me away. I learned to never underestimate the power of a single soul. Then the fall semester came along, and I was blessed with so many great opportunities with my two jobs (at the Kozmetsky Center and Social Justice & Service Outreach) and great classes. It was the best semester I have ever had. When I would lay down after each day of hard work, after meetings and classes and office hours and running errands and giving presentations and- you get the point- I had nothing to say but thanks to God for my abundant blessings. Of course I had my daily problems and struggles, but I learned that it is the journey one takes to heal and fix problems that is the most beautiful part of being alive. I mean truly living, and recognizing the existence of all that is around me, not just my small bubble of problems. This Christmas season, I am able to reflect deeper on all the blessings I have. There is no way I deserve any of this, and I’m left in awe when I think of how I’ve been graced with some of the greatest people and experiences I’ve ever known. I am incomprehensibly excited to see what next year holds; classes about humanitarian law, human rights and kids in war, and researching about human trafficking for a professor’s book, as well as my two jobs and a conference in Portland, a mentor program, Uganda and maybe Copenhagen. To even think that this is what I have lying ahead pushes me to realize more than ever that I am not in control of my future, because there is no way I could make these things happen. I am aware of the problems that will be coming my way, the bad that comes with the good, and the struggles I’ll endure. But I have no time to worry. I have no attention span for those issues, because there is just too much to be happy about. My year can be summed up in this:
My prayer and hope for all of you is that you have the self-discovery and gratitude of life that I have learned, because it has led me to the greatest peace I’ve ever known. Happy holiday, dear friends.

Advertisement