Sometimes A Great Notion
14 November 2007
It is not easy for me to admit that I am a selfish person. As unpleasant as this concept is for me to accept...accept it I must. And the evil twin that tends to be attached to selfishness is taking things for advantage. A dorm room is most definitely not my own room in Sherwood with my books and my bed and my family. Goudy is not always your mom’s best homemade dish (sometimes it is better). :) Yet there are still those days when you do not do as well as you want on a big test or the homework load feels a bit daunting, everyone has those days.
The past two days have been kind of like that for me. A culmination of burdens and homesickness had left me feeling a little under par. This morning after returning from my chemistry lecture, I went to wash my hands and ended up talking to one of Willamette’s amazing staff that keeps our dorms sanitary and a healthy environment for its students. In talking, I learned that she started out as a student here and took a job here to help pay for her classes. Over time, her job demanded priority over her schoolwork and she is still working to earn her degree and balance such a time consuming job. She was so adamant about the importance of putting in the four years of work even though it might seem easier not to do so. I was so impressed and touched by her encouragement and her willingness to share her own experiences so that I might understand what a blessing it is to be here at Willamette learning from such intelligent, kind professors and the college “experience” in general.
That is not to say that I have changed my “ways” or am perfect. Instead, I feel that for where I was this morning, that conversation was what I needed to readjust my attitude and appreciate the blessings that I have, despite the stress and burdens that I had been focusing on.
Ponder and appreciate! :)