As a teen, I had two examples of youth pastors, the hippies, and PK. All were such interesting individuals that I knew I would love to have a similar career. In my mind, their work-life consisted of going to Audio Adrenaline concerts, Purple Door, and playing Spoons in the church basement. Throw in a couple of Bible verses and you'll have a dozen or so youth eating out of the palm of your hand.
Easy-peasy and party for the rest of time, right?
At some point during my college life I began to notice, once again, that I really enjoyed writing and -new to me- psychology! The latter really came to the forefront of my life when I dropped out of college after second semester my Sophomore year to volunteer full time at the Los Angeles Dream Center.
The Dream Center was both home and work for me for almost two years when I decided to move to Germany and become an Au-pair, which, funnily enough, just seemed to happen with little hesitation. While there I studied the German language at the Bad Doberan Volkshochschule during the day and spent the evenings with "my girls"- Joyce and Joann.
I was 23 when I returned from Germany. At that time, I had three separate colleges to draw experience from, but no degree. On something like a mission, I decided to finish my degree only, instead of Youth Ministry, Psychology, or German studies, I focused on Criminal Justice and earned my Associates at the local community college, McCann. At this point, my dream was to have a halfway house for young girls and be their home-mom.
The point to all of this is that I changed my mind, often. It wasn't because I stopped loving one thing, but because I loved so very many things that I found myself jumping into different options frequently. As I sit here typing, however, I see that the love I had for writing has long been a part of me!
I knew it in 6th grade when Ms. Rinkle said I was a good writer after I turned in my paper on From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. She made a point out of writing in red pen all across the top to express how much she enjoyed my writing!
Later, at L.I.F.E. my freshman year, Ms. Debbie had to ask Franklin and I to "tone it down" because she knew we would write well beyond the five-page requirement, sometimes hitting the 20-something page extreme. And then at Life Pacific as well, where I wrote for our school newspaper and the yearbook.
I found a passion and it kept returning.
While in Germany, I went through a bout of depression. It wasn't the family exclusively- they were really great people in 100 different ways, but it was my season of life. After having had submerged myself in a "Bible Bubble" for so many years, I was suddenly living in a family who were Christians but not Christians- you know, the type who enjoy going to church and Christian concerts. The type who get involved in home groups and listen to Hillsong United. The kind I was exclusively engaged with for the previous five years.
Additionally, I went from being an active runner in CA, where I went from a size 7 pant to a size 2. In Germany, the snow began falling the week I arrived in October and was still falling when I returned stateside in March. I found myself home bound too often and the weight began returning.
There were other reasons as well, but the gist being that I turned to writing as a means to heal during my time there. I would write in great detail stories about the Dream Center which brought me great comfort. Stories about my childhood, which would elicit both tears and laughter. And stories about that present time. Sitting there in the office/e-bay storage room, Joyce and Joann's room next door, I would pour my heart out across the keys and heal myself whenever I could make the time.
I, like Annie, know many people who have majored in X while in college but today work with Y. This includes myself. Today she shares the story of a friend of hers who invited a group of friends to his house and invited them to speak into his life. What do they see in him? What strengths? What dreams?
He allowed them to speak and he was brave enough to receive, and disagree, if needed.
That seems really brave to me.
Vulnerable, too.
Be Brave:
As you seek out where your calling can take you,
who could you invite into this conversation?
Who do you trust with your dreams and stories
that can help you brainstorm?
No comments:
Post a Comment