This week marks the two years since I’ve moved to Evanston/Chicago. It’s a remarkable date for me when I reflect on what has happened in my life in that time period.
- I’ve worked two jobs.
- Lived in two different apartments.
- Visited Portland, Seattle, Tennessee, and New York,
- Visited Israel on Pilgrimage.
- Recovered from two serious illnesses
- Started graduate school at Northwestern.
I’ve met some wonderful people along the way. The warmth in which I was received here was a beautiful thing and exactly what I’d needed after being around Baha’i community for some time. It’s certainly changed my attitude about the faith when clearly I was not in a direction that I needed to be in. Since my arrival many people I have met have moved on to greater things, but I still think of them often and appriceate the time that I did have with them. Even my best friend were able to move to Evanston. That has elated me to no end.
With this anniversary I’ve reflected on my current situation and what direction I need to push myself in. Clearly graduate school is pushing me in a particular direction and leaves time for little else, but even during school and afterwards I have life to live. I’m not content to what’s immediately in front of me so I ask myself “what do I do now?” I see other individuals stagnating or lamenting their current situation with no real drive to change it. I am certainly not in that position, but I do want to increase standard of living, increase my spiritual living, and be able to share it with another. Each one of these might pull me in a different direction of which I’m still weighing the balance. These question might not need answering until I finish school, but I’ll need to learn the paitentence to accept that.
I’m happy I moved here as the experience has shaped me in a positive way. I’ve progressed forward when years past I might’ve not. The upcoming trial will be to capitalize on what’s in front of me and to trek forward and succeed. I’m happy with who I’ve become. For once I really am.
