First of all, I should say that since the Rapture is reportedly supposed to occur today, if I don't live to see May 22, 2011, I hereby entitle the first person to read this blog to all of my stuff. Except the red composition notebook in my closet - that can just be burned. Please.
In my previous post I promised an explanation regarding my year's worth of spiritual and social sentiments. We'll go for highlights:
1. I love my family. Way much.
2. I spent the whole academic year feeling like I had to choose between investing myself intellectually in school OR investing myself in people. I hate that, and I really didn't mean to abandon anyone.
3. I totally get how some people are both Hindu and Christian.
4. I hate what religion can become if you let it.
5. I love what religion can become if you let it.
For a period of time this year, I became very critical, and spent several weeks this winter feeling like I was at the edge of a philosophical precipice. I prayed to step backwards, away from the danger, back to the comfort of doctrine and home. Every time I tried to step backwards, I just shuffled along the edge, never moving back to safetly, but rather learning how to trust my footing. I'm in the process of learning that faith isn't safety - it's knowing that life here is only one step away from the edge, ever on the verge of falling or flying. And it's from here that I have the clearest view of both the valley and the mountain.
In summary, God is good.
On an entirely different note, I graduated. And now I want to learn more. Lots more. If anyone has any experience with painting, playing music, photography, driving a standard transmission, speaking Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish, or German, you have an interested pupil with a decent start on most of these (except painting, that one is totally new.)
