Hello 25
Someone asked me this summer if I could go back & tell my 20 year old self something, what would it be?
What advice would I give them? I am 99% sure I gave them an answer similar to “don’t take everything so seriously”.
Which is terrible advice because it took me 5 ½ years to get through college. Obviously I wasn’t “taking everything very seriously.”
But I’ve thought about it quite a bit since. It’s been a wild 5 years. When I think back to August 2009, I barely recognize that person. And no, it’s not because she’s young & dumb & has convinced herself that Wallabies & slider phones are still cool.
She also really wants to be nurse, a dream I barely remember because the Lord has opened so many other doors since then.
She’s in love. Big time. And she’s put school, friends, & life on the backburner because she's sure this is it.
She hasn’t met some of the people & places that will influence her life the most.
She doesn’t even know they exist yet.
She’s just wondering around assuming this is as good as it gets.
She hasn’t hit 23 yet, which if this blog goes anywhere, you’ll learn quickly what a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year 23 was.
She’s oblivious to how much her heart can take. She doesn’t quite know yet that the heartbreak of not getting into nursing school is a drop in bucket. She’s working it out though. She’s helping future me build up some strong heart muscles so in a few years when it really breaks, she’ll learn that it’s a little stronger than she thought.
She has no idea that in a few short years she’ll change her major, go back to a place she never thought she’d return to, apply for internships, move to a new town, start a new job, & do it all by herself.
If you told her that now, she would never believe you. She wouldn't believe she’s strong enough or brave enough to do that.
Life has a funny way of taking us places we never thought we’d go.
My new advice is this: Hold on. It will come & go faster than you can imagine. There will be pitfalls & setbacks. There will be parts that you don't love.
But remember the details however way you can & be certain the plan the Lord has for you is far better than the one you are crafting for yourself.
I promise.
9/7/2014