Memories of Days Gone Past

So back in 2002 I moved down to Southern California to attend college. I was scared. I put on the brave face to all my friends and family back home that I was this grown up, independent woman, who had nothing but adventure before her. Inside I was terrified and could not believe that I was actually doing this and if there was any way possible for me to get out of making this life altering move that it would happen, but it didn't.

So late in August I moved to Costa Mesa, CA with my parents in tow to help me get sorted and to see where I would be attending school for the next four years (at least that's what they thought, I knew better). About two days later we hugged in the parking lot adjacent to my dorm building, as we said our goodbyes and our comforting words that we would see each other soon I felt like I was ripping in half. I watched them drive away and it took everything in me to at least make it to the back door of the dorm building without collapsing in tears.

I made it.

Crawled up four flights of stairs, basically crawled down a hall, and made it too my room. Thank goodness my new roommate was out with her parents shopping for last minute room decor (it would have been an even harder transition having my roommate think I was crazy).

My world stopped for a moment that day. However, it kept going and I made good on those four years (because my parents actually knew better) by having one of the most life altering, adventuring seeking, college experiences ever.

Ashley (who is with me below) had a similar experience; we lived on the same floor, lived together at several points during college and have been friends for 7 years now; and it wasn't until tonight that we discovered with both felt the same exact way our first few weeks of college. Funny how we keep things inside and hold onto them. It would have been so much easier to know that there were others sitting in that boat along side me, but having gone through it has made me stronger, more adept to trusting God when pieces of my life are ripped away from me, and made me realize that the things I know I must forge ahead in (even though they may scare me a bit) are ultimately the best things that could have ever happened to me.

Here's to you my friend; may we often be placed in these moments of life altering and adventuring seeking seasons!