The time has come!! On Sunday I fly out the country for an unspecified amount of time. Whenever there is a big change about to occur in people's lives a question always seems to loom. What are you doing after graduation? What are you majoring? Who are you living with? My question- how do you feel? The last two weeks it fluctuates every hour. One moment I am elated about finally following my dream to live overseas, the other I get a knot in my stomach that makes me want to run and hide in a closet. A monstrous closet with plenty of cookie dough and Scrubs episodes to escape the unavoidable change. The rapid shifting of my emotions makes me feel a little crazy! Nevertheless, underneath it all I am excited about the unknown and what changes like will bring. Not only for myself, but friends and family back home. During my absence this year two weddings will be celebrated, four babies will be born, and several friends will start graduate school. Who knows what else will happens?
In the upcoming blog entries I promise to actually have stories about KOREA and not my pensive anticipation. Seriously, I promise.
3 comments:
Well, I agree and relate to you in every way Emily. I'm so excited and would almost love to stay and hide in the closet too...but I think this is really something that you and I are wired up to do. It's so different and scary, but it'll all be worth it. The anticipation stinks though! Can't wait to see you in SEOUL!!!!
Emily, I hope you don't mind me jumping on your blog and responding to your latest post. I can identify with your anxiety. Most of us have had to make tough decisions without knowing the expected outcome. Any fear or uncertainty that you are feeling is definitely justified with such a big decision, but it seems to me that you made your decision not to simply "grow up" but because you were called to do more with your life. This is amiable! So few of us are willing to take that big step into uncertainty in order to contribute in a larger way. If you are concerned with growing up like Holden, then there is nothing to be concerned about. I can't imagine a better experience to make one grow.
If there is any advice that I can give you it is this: don't look back to your past, but ahead to your future. Thomas Wolfe said, "You can never return home again," probably because each experience we have takes us further away from who we once were. And although this is scary, it is necessary in order to become the person we were destined to be. Edgar Lee Masters' fear was probably similar to yours. Many times he felt like "a boat longing for sea and yet afraid," but in the end realized that the only thing he could do was "lift the sail and catch the winds of destiny wherever they drive the boat." Emily, you have chosen to step away from an ordinary life to do something extraordinary. I know the fruits of your experience will be bountiful. Can I be any more cliche? But it's the truth. Good luck to you!
Matt
Hi Emily!! I will not even try to be as eloquent as Matt, but simply tell you how excited I am for... and proud! It takes a lot of courage to walk away from the familiar and venture into unknown territory. I look forward to reading about your adventures soon! Bon Voyage! Kristen
Post a Comment