Big Event is something that I personally really enjoy. Finding so much enjoyment in helping others, Big event is the rewarding to be able to give back to your community. However, being the irresponsible students that some of us are, and staying out late when we probably shouldn't, we moved a little bit slower at first then normal. The team I was apart of got to go to a beautiful public land area just outside of the city, and we got to see and help with "Willow Sculptures". I didnt know what these were exactly before I went, but after seeing them I know want one in my front yard. The man who we worked with and helped said it took about 20 labor hours to put the 2 meter diameter ball together. At the location where we helped, we helped create a taller stand for the willow sculpture, clean up stick piles and relocate them, and then rake the main area of the park. After our work was complete we were given an AMAZING lunch of turkey breast mit brot, salad, taziki, and sausage rings. The people were all very polite and they were happy for all of our help. Getting a tour of the facility, there were alot of very cool creations that people made and a wonderful place to just relax and re gain your mind back after the craziness that is life. Saturday night concluded with a very enjoyable and heart felt one on one time with my host brother as we sat up just talking about anything and everything.
On Sunday, I got to enjoy my host mother's birthday and some enjoyable "family time". I went along with them to a nearby mountain to hike around and just enjoy the beautiful day we were given. Its such a different experience when you can be considered part of the family with your host family. I can't begin to describe how it feels to genuinely feel like your included in their lives. 3 months ago, I would have never expected any of this to happen. You hear that you get to stay with a host family and everyone has their good and bad experiences, but living with this perfect fit family, they have made this Europe trip exponentially better and more enjoyable in a totally different way.
"Hell Week", which can be plural, is the week of school where you have multiple tests and have to study your butt off. I have found that no matter how much I study or what I do, there is always a high chance that I will misinterpret a few questions or totally brain fart and just look back wondering what I was ever thinking. Again being the irresponsible person I can be, I told myself that with the Bonn half-marathon only a week away I would eat healthy, get lots of sleep and spend my time efficiently and studying......none of thoose happened. Monday started with pizza and lots of sugar, followed by me coming home to my host brother and all of his friends that I knew watching a big soccer match so of course I had to watch it. The rest of the week would then follow suit. I think I took about 10 steps back in any preparation I had done for the half-marathon just in this one week, but that's the great thing about being a twenty year old. My tests ended up going well and awful. the awful one is still "okay", but I definitely misinterpreted lots of really easy questions that I should have known, but that's life.
Evaluating the blessings of life:
Once a week I get this emotion that makes me take a step back and really be thankful and blessed for all that I have. Each day we get up, go to school, learn all day, get mad at a bus or train, don't do as good as we want to on something, go home, eat, and then do it all the next day. This routine is so easy to fall into and get trapped in. However, every day we wake up is the biggest blessing in itself because we don't know what will happen one day to the next or even one hour ahead. You get up and fall into the motions of life and think about whats due next week, what we have to do when we get back, what job we want, and don't appreciate the moments now. Being a person of the little things in life, I have never needed anything fancy, expensive, elaborate, or all about me. I love just being around people, getting excited over a sunny day, smiling while watching little kids just be little kids, stopping in the city to just spin around and embrace everything about the moment. I know that I will look back on this experience and regret not doing certain things, or enjoying things I should have more, because this trip truly has been a HUGE blessing that I don't want to take for granted. Every text that I send to my family starts with me thanking them for everything they have given me and provided me with. It is because of them and the life they have built for me that I am getting the opportunity to do these such amazing things. I can't even begin to discuss how blessed I am, and I have really begun to notice this recently. I have hurt my knee recently and its amazing just how simple movements we over look and take for granted. In the midst of a day, I went from running 7 miles, and working out, to not being able to take 2 strides and play with everyone. At this moment you see just how valuable it is to walk. Getting off the train the other day, I was just thinking about the half-marathon and school when a pretty girl my age got onto the train very slowly and briskly as she had to use crutches to step up a 4 in step, yet she was smiling and happy. This girl couldn't physically run 10 meters yet she was having a great day and enjoying everything. Of course there is always more deeper inside, but its appreciating all the other blessing that make life worth while. I believe that it always helps to have a purpose to do something, whether its a test, training, working, whatever it is, you should always have a purpose.
For this Bonn Marathon, my purpose isn't to see how fast I can do it, but for all the blessings I have been blessed with my whole life and for thoose people aren't as "blessed" as me but enjoy life just as much. For all thoose who can only dream of running in the marathon, thoose that look down on not just me but all of us everyday helping us through the adversities of life because they couldnt help us any more down here but still influence us, for all the simple things that we take for granted each and everyday, and for thoose who just need alittle extra strength to get through whatever it is they are dealing with.
When people had told me that this trip would be "life changing", I shrugged it off, called it BS, and just thought they were crazy...but they are right. This trip has been a once in a life time opportunity, a blessing I can't begin to describe, and an experience I wish each person could feel. All of the people at school, the study abroad program, our professors, my fellow students are outstanding and help to complete this blessing that I have been given and get to fulfill each time I open my eyes. As I tie my shoe laces to go run, and before I will run the half-marathon I will collapse for a second as I wont know what to say or how to say thank you to God for everything he has blessed me with, to thank all thoose who have passed on for making me the person I am today, my perfect imperfect family, for all thoose who act like they are fine on the outside but are fighting so much on the inside an hope that one day they can make peace with it or firgure it out, for thinking about all thoose people who wake up not as lucky as me and would give anything for my life/health, and for being allowed to take another breathe and keep on building this amazing life I have been given.
There are no words that can express all this, but actions. The actions to help other whenever I am given the chance, to be there when people need it, to enjoy all of the little blessings we are given, and to never take anything for granted.w
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