Another splendid Sunday afternoon has left me thinking: why live anywhere the spring hasn’t come by the 1st of March? For that matter, why have a winter at all to necessitate the coming of a spring?
I flirted with the idea of a semester at BYU Hawaii. I don’t know if it’s in the cards for me, but I’d love to make it happen if I could. Even a term would be nice.
I only made it as far south as Lyon this weekend, but that was enough to get temperatures well into the 60s this afternoon. The sunshine in le Parc de la tête d’or (Golden-head Park), along with its fine wildlife collection, made for the perfect setting for a Sunday afternoon stroll. The real kicker, however, was the chance to see all my friends in Lyon from a couple of years ago.
My host brother, David, is leaving on a mission to New York next week. He went to the temple last week for the first time, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to see him ready to depart. He’s grown a lot since I knew him 2 years ago, and I can already see what a growing experience his mission will be for him.
Something struck me today in Sacrament Meeting. Some of you are familiar with the quote from President Monson: “That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do: not that the nature of the task has changed, but that our ability to do has increased” (paraphrased). Today I began thinking about the opposite of that statement. It seems intuitive, but I don’t know that we always internalize it that way. Maybe those purer realists among us get this better than I do. I’m not just talking about getting rusty at a talent, I’m talking intellectually as well.
I was recently informed that the job I had hoped on having this summer was no longer available. Hence, I’m trying to line up work for when I get back to BYU in a couple months. I’ve considered going back to EFY and the MTC (two of my favorite jobs ever), but I’m not sure they’d be as great the second time around. It’s hard to say. I’m sure I’d love the MTC, but I’m not sure they’d take me back. By time I’d start working again, it will have be more than 3 years since I got home. And when I think about it, I’m not sure I’m up to it anymore. It’s been over six months since I left the MTC, and I wonder how good my first lesson skills are. I started wondering how well I still know the Scriptures, and I realized I don’t. It leaves you quickly.
The same thing is happening to me musically. This year, I didn’t sing in the ward choir. I haven’t been using my music theory as much as I used to, even though I’m writing more music. Weird. And I haven’t sung in a quartet for a while either. All things I need to get back into when I get back to Provo. The important point here, though, is that I feel it’s leaving me. I’ve got to get back in the swing of things if I want to keep them.
As for the EFY thing, I wonder how excited 15-year-old participants would be to have a counselor who’s almost 10 years older than they are. (And on the contrary, how excited would I be to have them? Can I still deal with that level of maturity?)
I’d like to think I’d still be excited about both jobs, but can I really commit myself? I remember how much fun they were, but would they be as fun the second time around? How many things are?
Which leaves me thinking, what should I do this summer? Should I stick around BYU? Should I look for an internship somewhere? The last few summers have been exciting and have given me the chance to travel extensively, but is it time to get on with life? I can’t believe I’m asking myself that when I’m only 24. Maybe I just need to lighten up. Or maybe getting on with life, in my case, means traveling more. Shouldn’t I take advantage of my situation (single, no strings attached) to see all I can?
What do you think?
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