It is amazing to think that 2008 is this year. When I was 8, I had a lesson on missionary work. This wasn't anything new to me, I have had these lessons a couple times before and sung many songs about it. This time, the teacher gave us a notecard telling us our name, and the year we would go on our mission. Ever since then, I have had the year 2008 bolded, starred, and underlined in my mind. On New Years day it hit me that this is the year that my childhood has been waiting for, and only recently has it hit me again.
Rather than waltzing through the many regrets I have had througout the child-hood (wanting better grades, playing more soccer, and learning how to treat people earlier) I would instead like to reflect on many of my own, rather thoughtful, musings of sorts.
In 5 months time, I could be headed to the MTC to complete the mission task that I have been looking forward to ever since I can remember. It has been asked of me if i were scared, excited, nervous, (basically every feeling). . . and the answer I have repeatedly given has been "Well, Im not sure." Am I excited? Absolutely. Am I nervous? . . . not going to lie, I am a bit. Its a bittersweet feeling to think that the biggest goal I have had in my childhood is now coming to pass. What am I going to work on after that? Marriage, and raising a family I suppose. . . That makes me feel so old though!
Either way it feels right to be continually preparing and striving to serve a mission. It is the next step, so I ought to take it so my life can move up. Not only is my mission happening this year, but I am also graduating from my home-away-from-home (kinda) Mountain View. I have spent all sorts of time there, so it will be wierd to think that I will not be quite as welcome there anymore once I leave. Seniors ought to move on when they are out of school. Sure, come back and visit, but mostly they ought to let it be, and let the new seniors do their job. Its a hard realization to come by, but I think it is better to know of it now, rather than when we try to visit the high school every day next year. That just seems wierd. Next years seniors dont want us there anyway, it just doesn't fit.
I hope that with all I have learned that I have been able to share it with some of the classmates I have had. I have always wanted to be a teacher, but I am not planning on studying it in college. Teaching moments seem to continually pop up in High School, which seem to count for teaching in some aspect. Either way, life is coming, and its quite amazing to see it from a perspective as someone about to get ran over the train, rather than someone standing back and seeing it off in the distance. Although I never heard THAT metaphor when I was 8, I still think it applies now. I ought to write a card with the date 2010 on it, because then I will be able to look forward to the second half of my life. Most say over-the-hill is at 40, but I think its about 21. At age 21 is when one decides what to do with their life, and they continue doing it for years until they retire. Either way, in the next 5-6 years my life will probably be settled, and I can continue helping my family grow and working through all that. Until then, Ill just have to keep writing significant years on post cards, just to keep it all into perspective.
Rather than waltzing through the many regrets I have had througout the child-hood (wanting better grades, playing more soccer, and learning how to treat people earlier) I would instead like to reflect on many of my own, rather thoughtful, musings of sorts.
In 5 months time, I could be headed to the MTC to complete the mission task that I have been looking forward to ever since I can remember. It has been asked of me if i were scared, excited, nervous, (basically every feeling). . . and the answer I have repeatedly given has been "Well, Im not sure." Am I excited? Absolutely. Am I nervous? . . . not going to lie, I am a bit. Its a bittersweet feeling to think that the biggest goal I have had in my childhood is now coming to pass. What am I going to work on after that? Marriage, and raising a family I suppose. . . That makes me feel so old though!
Either way it feels right to be continually preparing and striving to serve a mission. It is the next step, so I ought to take it so my life can move up. Not only is my mission happening this year, but I am also graduating from my home-away-from-home (kinda) Mountain View. I have spent all sorts of time there, so it will be wierd to think that I will not be quite as welcome there anymore once I leave. Seniors ought to move on when they are out of school. Sure, come back and visit, but mostly they ought to let it be, and let the new seniors do their job. Its a hard realization to come by, but I think it is better to know of it now, rather than when we try to visit the high school every day next year. That just seems wierd. Next years seniors dont want us there anyway, it just doesn't fit.
I hope that with all I have learned that I have been able to share it with some of the classmates I have had. I have always wanted to be a teacher, but I am not planning on studying it in college. Teaching moments seem to continually pop up in High School, which seem to count for teaching in some aspect. Either way, life is coming, and its quite amazing to see it from a perspective as someone about to get ran over the train, rather than someone standing back and seeing it off in the distance. Although I never heard THAT metaphor when I was 8, I still think it applies now. I ought to write a card with the date 2010 on it, because then I will be able to look forward to the second half of my life. Most say over-the-hill is at 40, but I think its about 21. At age 21 is when one decides what to do with their life, and they continue doing it for years until they retire. Either way, in the next 5-6 years my life will probably be settled, and I can continue helping my family grow and working through all that. Until then, Ill just have to keep writing significant years on post cards, just to keep it all into perspective.
