Circumstances

Remember when you were a kid and someone would ask what you wanted to do when you grew up?  What did you say?  I wanted to be an athlete.  I probably said other things, too, like astronaut and firefighter (you know, the jobs that very few people I know actually do).  We were idealistic then.  Our parents told us we could do anything we put our minds to, which was good advice because it probably got us over several hurdles in our lives.

At some point we realize that you're topping out at 6' and won't play in the NBA.  Sure, that day was sad, but you saw it coming, and for that reason it was a simpler pill to swallow.  Lives change over time and we adjust to what seems reasonably possible.  

I realized that my career interests were in a far lower-paying field than one would dream of (education) so any thoughts of some big extravagant house, new car, and eating at Salt of the Earth every week basically went out the window.  That's okay, though, because my circumstances have prepared me for frugal living and enjoying the little things.  I commute on a bike, try to cook for myself instead of going out, and save my money for the occasional splurge on a good concert.  I'll make more money some day, but my circumstances have allowed me to enjoy a life where money is not a driving force.

This idea extends further.  In the job search, you will get turned down for interviews and jobs, but the only thing you can focus on is what's in front of you and not that great opportunity that wasn't given to you.  That girl or boy that isn't interested in you, it's time to pick up and move on to find that person who is interested in you and worth your time.  There's no sense crying about friends who have left, so we must enjoy the ones who are here and take time to visit the ones who are gone.  We have to deal with the circumstances that are given to us.

One of my strongest character traits is that I keep things in perspective.  I've mentioned plenty of times that God teaches us not to worry because He cares for the birds and the grass and everything in between, so surely He cares for us.  Worrying does not get us anywhere, no matter how hard that is to hear.  We could mope about the job we didn't get, the girl who doesn't like us, and the friends who have moved all over the country, but mourning our losses won't get us very far.  For this reason, I handle death and funerals better than most people.  They're gone, so there's nothing we can do now except celebrate the life our friend has lived.

I've been dealt some unfavorable circumstances over the past few years, but the only way to move on is to move on.  Things are the way they are, we may not be able to change them, so we have to take the cards we are dealt and move forward.  It's a scary concept, but God has our best interest in mind and will carry us through whatever arises in our lives.

Here is a beautiful song by The Head and the Heart singing about the way things change; Rivers and Roads: 

opportunities

my roommate, andy, recently commented to his girlfriend that he doesn't take particular note when i say that today is a "big day". it's not that today isn't a big day, but rather that i say it almost every day and the statement has become second-nature.

is today a big day? absolutely. was yesterday a big day? definitely. will tomorrow be a big day? almost certainly. i make this remark daily because every day is a big day. any day that is not a big day is also not really a day worth living. whether that big day is a road trip to a new place, a marriage proposal, or simply a day of rest, these are all important and memorable things. i don't want to wake up and not think that today is a big day.

not much has changed since january 2010. i have a different job (not waiting tables, thank goodness), a new residence closer to school and work, and i'm getting ready to finish school this semester. sure, some other subtle differences are there i'm sure, but overall i am who i was then.

one thing that certainly hasn't changed is my desire to seize opportunities. when asked about resolutions year after year i generally have the same response: i want to take advantage of every opportunity more than i did last year. i've always been one to have a mindset every day that i will do whatever will make me happy today. this has led to a lot of satisfaction over the years, which i intend to continue. but this year needs to be bigger than last.

i want to take a trip this year, for sure. when i (hopefully) lock-up a job i want to take my transitory time to make a trip, maybe follow the avett brothers if they're on tour, or get back out to see the pacific coast. i recorded 3 songs and i want to do it again this year. i want to try something for the first time that i've wanted to do, like skiing or snowboarding (anyone want to teach me?).

but let's not forget about the days in between. every day is a big day. in 2010 we lost a great friend in caleb altmire. his passing reminds me that no days are guaranteed. no sense in planning so much today that we forget to enjoy the day in front of us.

one real and very important resolution is that i need to incorporate the Word of God in my life far more in 2011. rather than say this in my words, allow me to quote Jesus from the Book of Matthew as parting words today:

So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.

Matthew 6:25-27