September 26, 2008
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A Sunset and Sunrise
Tuesday night I stuffed two garbage bags full of laundry and filled a laundry basket full of garbage. Well, it wasn’t really garbage, but it was an assortment of miscellaneous items, which is close enough to validate a loose usage of the word. It all went into the car, and at half past eleven, I sped off for my new residency near campus.
I was driving along familiar roads with very unfamiliar feelings. I had often driven on them, but never to live somewhere else permanently. The assumption of driving on them had always been that a return would follow; if not that night, then perhaps the next, or at least eventually. But this time, the symmetry of the action was broken in two like a twig, leaving me with only the vague feeling of some uncompleted task in lieu of a return journey.
It was the most intentional transition between periods of my life I shall ever make. The home I grew up in I was leaving in my wake every second, the new setting for life’s next act ever approaching. At the moment of my departure, one chapter ended, and twenty minutes later, at the moment of arrival, another had begun.
This at least re-emphasizes the ever-important truth that all of us are strangers in this world. None of us have been here before, and all of us will stay here for only a short while. So there’s no use holding on to things you can’t keep.
It will be exciting to see what God does with me in this new place; I have no idea what will happen, so all I can pray is that myself and my companions will be up to the task.
I leave you with recent reading:
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where——” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
“——so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh you’re sure enough to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
Comments (8)
This move must be exciting
I hope this new change goes well for you.
It’s funny that you mention that particular reading. In one of my classes today, we were comparing Alice’s Wonderland to Dorothy’s Oz. Both of which really have something to say about life.
Take care and God bless,
libby
Interesting thoughts and it will be interesting to see what God does with you in the new place He has you.
It is also interesting that you just read a part from Alice in Wonderland. I was just watching LOST and in one episode he is reading a part of Alice and Wonderland (the book’s symbolism plays into the show).
I wish you the best with this transition!
Are you just now starting college?
I mean, are your classes starting this late? haha
I found this post somehow very encouraging. Thanks for a little ray of sunshine.
very late indeed – I believe this is because we’re on the quarter system, but I can’t be sure. And speaking of late vs. early, I had a class at 7:30 A.M. the first day, but slept through it, only to discover it wasn’t the right class anyways. If I would have dragged myself out of bed for it, I’m not sure I would’ve ever forgiven myself for getting the class wrong. Hehe.
@viscosityofwords -
two overlaps of Alice and Wonderland. It’s a coincidence of coincidences. …people are always telling me to watch Lost, and that’s it the greatest thing ever. No time, no time! ..Yet I remaind drawn. Who knows, maybe I will cave during winter break.
@missdebster - Excellent. And way to tie into the theme of the sun.
“Tuesday night I stuffed two garbage bags full of laundry and filled a laundry basket full of garbage.”
I don’t know why, but with that phrase a whole host of memories came flooding over me as I remember first moving to go away to college. It’s both scary and exciting.
Growth is good, and I am looking forward to reading about how God is going to use this chapter of your life.