Recently I've felt a bit stuck. I'm going a bit stir crazy. Things don't always go the way we want them to, nor do they happen the way we expect them to. I can make plans today and watch them blow away like autumn leaves tomorrow. I once had grandiose ideas for what I wanted my life to become. Even now I have a rough plan, though certainly not as streamlined as they once were...I've got more of a general outline right now as opposed to a firm plan. But the point is that I don't know what will happen in the next 60 seconds, let alone in the coming months and years. The best thing we can do is appreciate what we have right now, learn from what we once had, and love one another. Such an easy concept on paper...
One of my greatest memories took place a little over a year ago. I had just landed in Atlanta for a brief training camp with my Kenya team before departure on a planned 3-month missions journey. Our first assignment was to talk with people in the city. We didn't need to necessarily spread Jesus or anything like that - we were just building relationships. I kind of broke off from the group and was walking around Centennial Park in downtown ATL at 11 p.m. looking for people to talk with. I ended up playing chess with a group of middle-aged black men. I lost twice, talked about truck driving and the WNBA, and kept pinching myself thinking about how awesome this experience was.
Looking back, it's such an insane memory. I don't think I've shared it often, and everytime I do I'm wowed by how bizarre it must sound to those listening. But meeting people...that's the point. There are people with stories. Just as my chessmates had stuff to discuss, just as I have reminscences to share, so too does everyone else. There are so many stories out there, so many people to meet, so many new things to discover. I think I've been too timid for most of my life to really explore all that this world has to offer. I'm working on it. Atlanta was a turning point. Talking to the grandparents in the Bryce Canyon parking lot and eating peanut butter cookies was a turning point. Meeting Melissa at Black Canyon of the Gunnison was a turning point. Madison High School is a turning point if I choose to look at it that way.
I want to explore people. As a byproduct I will be able to see the world, but people are the main thing. I have so many inspirations...and, with the right thinking, I can utilize my next 30 weeks as a school teacher and turn them into the beginning of my exploration journey.
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