So the college students might feel me on this, and I'm sure all the old people reading this will understand as well. You know that feeling when you have been at college a few years, and then on one of your trips home it doesn't really feel like home? I mean it is still home, but not the same. But college doesn't feel like home either. Kinda in between, ya know? I think that is how I feel about Texas right now. It is home because I have spent my whole life here, most of the people I love are here, but it just doesn't feel right, right now. I think the culture shock of coming back from Alaska is worse than it was coming back from China or Japan. Probably because I didn't expect it, being in the same country and all. Living in a tent all summer, without all the luxuries that I have grown up with, has helped me distinguish between what we need and what we think we need. ***To start off this rant, I want to say that I realize that I don't practice what I am about to preach very well yet, and this is just the perspective of an unexperienced 22 year old. It may change soon, but God I hope not.*** I'm not prepared to say everyone should sell all of our possessions and give them all to the poor (another guy wrote about that in a Book already), but I would love to see more people to live in moderation. In Alaska we had to live in moderation at the camp because if we didn't we would run out water and other resources fast. But if we did run out we could go to the lodge down the road and fill up water buckets to bring back. In North Dallas, excess is the name of the game: cars, houses, clothes, churches, food, and even crappy little outfits for dogs. 1.2 BILLION people in the world live on less that $1 a day, and everyone has heard about how many thousands of people die per day because they don't have water or food or shelter. Try to reconcile those last to sentences with the fact that over 9 out of 10 Christian organizations are based out of Dallas. Uh-oh. That's a problem. Jesus has some pretty harsh words for people like me. At the risk of sounding socialist, it would be cool if that was balanced out a little better. I digress, but that is part of what makes it hard for me to be back here. I'm sure I'll get over it soon, and get back to normal.
This past summer was great. Not easy or always fun, but almost exactly what I wanted. The people I was with, the work I did, and the experiences I got. Joe prepared me real well. I got to catch up with him the other day and swap stories and such. It was great. I will make it back up to Alaska in the future, but I don't know if I will have the same sort of job. I think I will keep my outdoor pursuits as recreation instead of making a job out of it.
One big thing this summer that I'm still thinking about is a loss of idealism. I don't know if Hollywood put it there or if it is just human nature, but I guess that since I have always had it pretty easy I think things should always go my way. Well Colby, wake-up. That isn't the real world. Situations and plans will go wrong, you will get screwed over by the world, and I believe that a large test of character is how you deal when that happens.
I think this summer I realized the "log in my eye". I'm not going to tell you exactly what it is on my blog, but you can ask later if you want to know. I don't know that it is out yet, but I know it is there, and I wont be trying to get any specks out of other people's eyes until mine is out.
Well, that (all the previous writing) isn't exactly what I wanted this entry to be about, but it is what it is. So on a lighter note, check out my crappy facial hair for the summer. I trimmed it a few times, but lets face it, not very much. I kinda liked it, but I'm glad its gone.
Yesterday I got back from seeing my oldest cousin get married in Arizona, and it was a blast to see all the family again. I am leaving for Arkansas tomorrow to do a little fly fishing, thinking, and visiting some friends. Plans for after that have become a little rocky over the past few days, but we'll see how it all works out.
This past summer was great. Not easy or always fun, but almost exactly what I wanted. The people I was with, the work I did, and the experiences I got. Joe prepared me real well. I got to catch up with him the other day and swap stories and such. It was great. I will make it back up to Alaska in the future, but I don't know if I will have the same sort of job. I think I will keep my outdoor pursuits as recreation instead of making a job out of it.
One big thing this summer that I'm still thinking about is a loss of idealism. I don't know if Hollywood put it there or if it is just human nature, but I guess that since I have always had it pretty easy I think things should always go my way. Well Colby, wake-up. That isn't the real world. Situations and plans will go wrong, you will get screwed over by the world, and I believe that a large test of character is how you deal when that happens.
I think this summer I realized the "log in my eye". I'm not going to tell you exactly what it is on my blog, but you can ask later if you want to know. I don't know that it is out yet, but I know it is there, and I wont be trying to get any specks out of other people's eyes until mine is out.
Well, that (all the previous writing) isn't exactly what I wanted this entry to be about, but it is what it is. So on a lighter note, check out my crappy facial hair for the summer. I trimmed it a few times, but lets face it, not very much. I kinda liked it, but I'm glad its gone.
Yesterday I got back from seeing my oldest cousin get married in Arizona, and it was a blast to see all the family again. I am leaving for Arkansas tomorrow to do a little fly fishing, thinking, and visiting some friends. Plans for after that have become a little rocky over the past few days, but we'll see how it all works out.
3 comments:
oh, what's the plank in your eye??? tell me, tell me, tell me!!!
oh, also tell me if you're going to keep updating your blog, because if you aren't, you're moving to the bottom of my link list just like Jon (you are currently at the top).
have you ever read walden by thoreau, b/c it makes me think of you. as does this post.
hope you're doing well.
oh i didn't even know you had it in you!
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