arriving

learning. a word with so many opinions. it's a word that makes a person think. some people think of school and long hours spent in the classroom. some people think of time spent with family being told stories and hands on experiences with a parent cooking or fixing a car. some different opinions.

the long and short of it is that no matter your opinion of the word, you spend you life learning. a constant state of learning. you spend time doing the things you love but by spending time you spend time learning. you discover. you discover as you do things.

you've always heard that you live and learn. you hear that you never stop learning. but you also learn as you live that people can tell you things but you never realize how true they are until you experience them. happens all the time. especially God things. they tell you how much prayer works but you never really fully appreciate it until you actually see prayer work and you see it in action. they tell you how much getting your priorities in order helps and getting God on top until you allow it to happen. he helps you see how much it helps.

you never stop learning. you pick up on things. you realize things. different ways of saying the same thing. learning. you are in a constant state of learning. everyone wants to be smart. or wise. you want to know things. you don't want to sit in school all day and learn the stuff that they make you learn but you learn it. unless you sleep through all of your classes. but then you learn what happens when you don't pay attention.

we are always learning. always in a state of becoming smarter. a constant state of arriving. arriving in a state of intelligence. this goes for intelligence, maturity, and views. arriving.

you are always arriving. never there at a place where you are the smartest, the greatest, the best. but arriving.

so keep arriving.

life moves on and it sucks

not lying: when I wrote that last entry I was asleep.

As we get older, life moves on. I am reminded of this as i realize that I have about 30 more days with my seniors. some of the people who have spent time getting to know me, taking time for me, teaching me.

It scares me. losing you guys. you know who you are. those of you who have spent time mentoring us juniors this year and years before have really touched me. you guys mean a lot to me and I thank you on behalf of our class. you've done more than I can express and I know that my class feels the same.

thanks for being there for us and expecially me. I won't forget you and all you've done; I hope we can keep in touch and college won't lead you too far away. thanks for the memories. I love all of you.

cheers to you, you know who you are. I can't thank you enough. sorry for making it sound like you are dying but it seems like it since I won't see you every day.

to many more memories.

mexico

I have just spent the last 9 days with about 25 of the coolest people I have ever met.

Praying, learning, reading and teaching. serving and spending time getting to know people. Mexico.

If I was to put a word to mission trips I would put "selfless." you have to be selfless. selfless is serving. getting out of your comfort zone. listening to your fears and your own pains and pushing them aside. realizing the hurt and wanting nothing more than to end it any way you can. mission trips are for cleansing all the world out of you. a retreat. but a retreat only from the world. you are pushing and pushing; stretching and stretching. strengthing and strengthing. and you are better for it. like a full body and mind and soul workout.

I am so tired. I feel so worn. worn and happy. like I have spent a day that lasted for 9 making a positive impact in the world. it feels good. I have learned so much.

I come home content and clean feeling. happy. I know what life is about. selfless serving. is there anything better?

the other main thing I learned is that there are only dialects and one language. Love is the one language. it may be love or the lack of it but it is the only language; breaking all barriers. it's all that matters. the greatest of these is love. what more matters.

and now, I retire. I'm so tired from this glorious trip.