The Next Big Thing--August 2nd 2014

I wrote this post two weeks ago, and with the craziness of the master's exam and then a beautiful week of visiting family, I never got around to posting it. I wanted to share this tonight as I am looking ahead and excited for the open doors and mysteries in front of me.

     So today was the first day in the last 10 months that I didn’t have something I *should* be reading, writing, studying, or analyzing. I woke up and didn’t quite know what to do with myself. Last night, I received an email stating that I had passed my Master’s Exam—it was over, I can add three letters and two periods to my name—hours of work and studying all cumulated to this—reading an email on my phone while I stood in line at the bank. As relieved as I was; it all felt a little bit anticlimactic.  I mean, it is something that had been on my horizon for a while—an item on my not-at-all-exhaustive “five year plan”. But once all the work was done, I couldn’t help but think “now what?” I mean, I have a great job opportunities, and am looking forward to growing in my practical knowledge, but the last week as I stepped away from the busy pace of this year, I allowed myself to be reminded that I am more than a master. I have goals and dreams beyond academia and they are important too—just as much a part of who I am and what I want to be as a diploma.

                You see, even as I completed a milestone, I was already looking ahead to the next big thing. With two out of my three big goals accomplished; the last—one that’s somewhat out of my power to make happen, still lingers. My type-A, anti-procrastinator personality, wants to finish the list. But, life isn’t about lists and achievements, and if I try to make it that way I will always fall short—always be looking to the next big thing to give me a sense of purpose and worth. The only thing I can achieve daily is contentment. I have to choose to accept what God has given me today. The “next big thing” will get here at the perfect time—just as much as going to Kenya and getting my masters did. Looking back, I wouldn’t change how the milestones of the last few years happened—each enriched and stretched me in numerous ways. So tonight, I choose contentment. I am so blessed to be where I am, to have joy and peace, friends and family, a budding career, an eternal hope—and each of those are big things.