Good Riddance

Spring has come, and while for most people this might mean spring-cleaning, for college and university students it means moving. 

At the end of the spring semester we all pack up our belongings and move out of our dorms, either back home or to an apartment or to go travel the world. This process goes hand in hand with something that I have become quite fond of and think everyone should do at least once a year.

A purging.  (or cleansing if you prefer.)

At the end of every school year I riffle through all my cupboards and drawers and find mass amounts of papers, party favors, mementos, etc. that have somehow accumulated within the span of eight months. While some of these things are worth keeping for memory-sake, most end up going to recycling, good will, or the trash.  The thought that I somehow gathered all of this stuff within just a few short months is mind-boggling and I’m so happy that I have a chance at least once a year to get rid of it all.

I don’t know if this is just me, but sometimes I hate having any stuff at all. It’s just a bother. And most of the time it just sits there taking up space. I feel like it ties me down somehow, but that’s a story for a different time.

When I first came to North America I couldn’t believe that people not only had big houses full of stuff, but that they have extra storage containers full of MORE stuff! Why?! If you do not need it often enough to have it on hand, you don’t need it!

Maybe that is my father speaking through me, he used to have me and my sisters go through all our things every so often and get rid of the things we didn’t need. It stuck, and I’m glad.

I love my annual purge and will probably continue to do it even when I do not have to move in or out of some place annually. Just try it, you’ll feel so much better  :)

...to taste it again.

I have steered a tall-ship out at sea.

I have felt the warmth of an udder as I milked a cow.

I have spent the night in a yurt.

I have tasted prawns fresh from the ocean floor.

I have stood on mountaintops.

I have fallen asleep watching the stars.

I have felt the saltiness of the Ocean on my skin.

I have pitched tents.

I have climbed many a tree.

I have smelled the wild flowers of the fields.

I have watched bears mosey on by.

I have shot an arrow from a bow.

I have paddled across the waters.

I have heard the rumble of thunder overhead. 

I have smelled the smoke of campfires.

I have drunk from the streams.

I have caught snowflakes on my tongue.

I have ridden a horse bareback.

I have heard the call of the eagle and loon.

I have danced in the rain.

I have burrowed under the snow.

I have felt the tightness of a cave.

I have tasted the meat of moose and deer.

I have cycled through hills and valleys.

I have tasted adventure. 

I have tasted what it is to be alive. 

I want to taste it again. 

Sweet Goodbyes

Airports tend to get a bad reputation. Not surprisingly so. They are a hassle: security checks, finding the right terminal and gate, lots of waiting around, busy crowds, the list goes on and on. But there is something that happens in airports that you don’t see quite as much in other places. Airports tend to prompt people to show how they really feel about each other. As people head off into the unknown of new adventures they finally show how much they care in that final embrace or last conversation.

In my experience, airports have been places where I do some of my biggest thinking about who is important to me in my life. Possibly because KLM always decides to play the saddest songs on their audio-system that make me think of what I’m leaving behind, as well as what I’m going to. What if I never make it back, have I said everything that needs to be said? Have I told the people I love how I feel? Isn’t it interesting that people tend to only show how much they care when they realize that this might be their last chance?

The next couple weeks in my life will be interesting. While I’m excited about graduating and going into this next part of my life, I also meet this phase with some sadness because, let’s be honest, these next few weeks are the last that I will spend with some of these friends. In my life I’ve already missed out on telling some people how I felt about them before it was too late. I’ve neglected to recognize how precious the time spent with people you truly care about is. So I encourage you, no matter what stage of life you’re in or where you may be, hold on to these moments spent with those you  love and tell them that you care. 

"This is the time to remember 
Cause it will not last forever.
These are the days to hold onto
Cause we won't although we'll want to."

-Billy Joel

I Will Wait

Today is Holy Saturday, the day on which we reflect on the confusion and sorrow Mary and the disciples must have felt after Jesus Christ’s crucifixion that took place just the day before.  Luckily we know what happens next in the story. Jesus is raised from the dead and tells of how He has made a way for us to come to the Father. Then He left again. We are in a similar situation to that of the disciples and Mary: Jesus has left. But at least we know that He is coming back. We are waiting for His second coming.

A group of musicians that I particularly enjoy is Mumford and Sons. For me, listening to their music is almost a form of worship as so many of their songs have religious undertones. Their honesty about the struggles that faith can bring is so refreshing and I am certain that the Holy Spirit is touching lives through their music whether they know it or not. One song in particular that highlights the idea of waiting for Jesus’ return is “I Will Wait.”

It speaks of the days of dust blowing away with the coming of the new Son. I think that is such a beautiful picture. The world will be made new with Christ’s coming. And until then we will kneel down and wait. We can know our ground in Christ. He is our rock and firm foundation. God has forgiven our sins through Jesus sacrifice on the cross and we will not forget that. We ask God to tame our flesh: to keep us from continuing on in our sinful ways, and to instead fix our eyes on Christ and tether our minds to Him, free from the lies of the devil. So I do not know how you intend to spend you Easter, but as for me, I’ll raise my hands, paint my spirit gold, bow my head and feel my heart slow in the presence of the Lord. 

Where's the Horse Meat?!

Recently a lot of people were up in arms over the fact that horse meat had been found in ground beef. I agree, it's a little unsettling because we didn't know it was in there. But, the idea of eating horse meat didn't bother me all that much at all. In my mind eating horse really isn't all that different from eating cow. And if it is different, here is some evidence that thinks it might even prove to be a good kind of different. Just some food for thought. 

Documentaries//Activism

Over the past few months I’ve been watching more and more documentaries. Voluntarily. When you’re a kid you can’t imagine anything more boring than watching a documentary, but lately I’ve found that they really draw me in. Almost too much so. They always stir up something in me.

The most recent documentary I saw was called ‘Sons of the Clouds; the last colony.’ It tells the story of the Sahrawis, a former colony of Spain that has been forcibly controlled by Morocco for the last 38 years. It was so hard to watch these poor people live in refugee camps out in the desert because the land that was their home was taken from them. And those that did still live in their homeland were tortured on a daily basis. I felt like someone had to do something. I felt like I had to do something.

This is the problem I have most of the time when I watch documentaries. It always hits me so hard that these are things that are actually happening in the world. Whether it’s related to human rights, the environment, animal cruelty, or anything else. This is happening in the world and I’m just sitting there on my couch watching it. I feel so utterly helpless and too small to make a change.

Now I don’t know if you ever feel that way too, but I just want to encourage you that there is always something you can do, even if it’s something small. After watching a documentary about where my food comes from I made a point to only buy free-range eggs and meat of which I know that the animal was treated well. It’s something small, but I think it’s making a change.

There are numerous ways to help in any aspect that might draw you. One example of a website that gives you some cool options is called sevenly.org. Every week they support a different charity, so you can choose to contribute on the weeks that you feel passionate about the cause. That’s just one way to make a change.

Just remember that no matter how small you may think your contribution is, it is making a difference. You can change the world you live in. It’s what we’re called to do.

People.

There are 7,066,671,614 people in the world, give or take a few. 

I've had the number 7 billion in my head for a while. I've technically known how many people are in the world but I don't think I've ever really thought about it. 

Lately whenever I see a picture of someone I've been struck by the idea that it's a real person. Somewhere out there in the world this person is living a life. They have friends and family. They have hopes and dreams. They have memories and a life story. 

I've had the pleasure of knowing some people in this world. I've shared in part of their life story and that's been a real honor and blessing. But in the grand scheme of things I've only had the joy of meeting a small fraction of the people on this earth. 

There are 7,066,671,614 people in the world. And each one has a story. That's amazing. I wish I could meet them all and share in their lives but that's not an option. But I still feel like I'm part of something. We, the human race, are all in this life together. And I'm glad to be sharing the journey with you.