If I had to make a list of my greatest fears, the first thing on that list would be spiders and the second would be change. I hate change. I hate the uncertainty of not knowing what's going to happen. I hate having to white-out plans in my planner. I hate counting on something or someone to be there and then being disappointed. But it happens. We move, people leave, we switch jobs, we switch churches and our lives change. Sometimes slowly or sometimes all at once.
However, some things never change: belting John Mayer in the car with your best friend, the peace found in your favorite worship song, the feeling of hot chocolate during a study break, Thanksgiving dinner with the whole family, the smell of rain after a heavy Oklahoma storm, the calm in coming home to your favorite coffee shop (the Phoenix in Tulsa go check it out) and time spent with Christ. I could go on and on. It's different for every person. Everyone has these things, no matter how small or big, that you can count on being consistent even when life is inconsistent.
I think that the most important thing I've learned in college so far is to "embrace the change and craziness of life, and root yourself in the things you can count on."
Let me say it again: embrace the change.
If someone had told me this two years ago I would have brushed them off and thought "that's not for me, I know my plan, sure I'm gonna change but like I know what's gonna happen so it doesn't apply to me right?" If only I had known what was coming. These last two years have been chock-full of fun and amazing experiences. But good Lord, there's been so much change and the only thing that's kept me sane are these little moments of consistency.
Let me say this again: root yourself in the things you can count on.
I've spent too much of my time rooting myself in temporary people or idealizations of my future and not enough time rooting myself in the joy of now. If I could give anyone struggling with change some advice it would be to find these concrete things or moments and find the peace in them.
And remember, change makes us grow. It's hard but it's so, so worth it.
