Thoughts on December

I'm taking a cue from Andy and doing some thoughts on the month, only I think many will turn out to be thoughts on life.... either way they are thoughts. 

It has almost been one year since I came back to the US. How has time flown so quickly? I mean I feel like I should still be in Salzburg, Austria sitting in the Yoho Hostel, meeting fascinating people over a dinner of chunks of potatoes. I had so much time between me and the real world, so much fun to have, so many things to do and accomplish. And now I see that I have done all of that the people I met along my life journey have helped to shape me into who I am. 

I don't ever listen to the radio... but I wanted to listen to Christmas music yesterday and I didn't have any on my ipod, so I turned on the radio to that station that plays all Christmas music. And this song comes on, its about this little boy who is buying his mom a pair of shoes. He is clearly a child living in poverty, he pays in pennies, and he is rambling on to the clerk about why he's buy these shoes. And its sweet, mom always made Christmas special for us even if it meant she didn't have anything, you know. Then the clerk says there isn't enough, and he turns to the guy behind him and just is simply saying what do I do and the guy behind him pays the rest. Well this is all sweet and to a normal person a tear jerker.... but the little boys mom is dying and he wants her to look pretty when she meets Jesus. Lets just say I was a babbling idiot of tears driving down Lakeshore yesterday. I mean I'm already on a constant state of tears, what with all the professors and the speeches that consisted of "you've accomplished so much", and the "you're ready for the real world", "treasure the people and the things you've learned here". OMG. I cried at the end of a class too. I just can't handle it. And if you know me there are 5 things I hate to do and crying is in the top 2 of those 5.  (I shared this story with a friend of mine and he mocked me for not knowing this song, apparently its been around a long time... oopsie) 

 

And now I think the actually point to that story, as I'm visualizing the face of this little boy all of the sudden its the faces of the kids I've worked with at Jessie's Place. That was when I really lost it. And I realized I need to be working with children living in poverty.... now I just need to find that place and convince them to hire me. 

I really don't think the Christmas season can officially start for me until I'm standing on Centennial Way, singing carols with the rest of Samford, listening to Andy tell the Christmas story, and hearing Twas the night before Christmas at Samford. The star lights up on the Library, bell tower... then the rest of the lights come on and then.... the tree, our beautiful tree. I love it. You're huddled together with your friends and its just wonderful. And then you all go warm up in Harry's with the free Hot Chocolate and sing more Carols. It really didn't seem like Christmas time until that happened. But now.... its full force. I LOVE christmas music, I love Christmas. WONDERFUL! ;) 

This world is a big place. Its strange how big it is, yet how small it is. I mean we're so connected to the rest of the world. I can't imagine living when you couldn't instantly talk to someone halfway across the world. Or even 1000 miles away. It just doesn't seem like that ever really could happen. 

Last night I was hanging out with my friends and some times we play "would you rather" and after about 30 minutes the questions start to get ridiculous. The most ridiculous one of the night (don't be offended, no one was serious).... this was more a You have to do pick one or the consequences are too dire to even mention right now... You have to choose an entire ethnicity (and redneck doesn't count... they have to have an established nation) to annihilate who would it be and why. The rationales got pretty interesting. That is what 3 am and no sleep all week does to college kids. 

I finished and submitted my FINAL Senior Thesis/Research last night. I've been working on this project for a year, and its done. And it is great. Now all I have to do is present it to my peers and professors. The whole thing just makes me feel more adult, which I suppose is good since I'm about to be a real one of those. 

I've been thinking about relationships and people a lot lately.