Memories.

Hey y'all.

So right my favorite song is "Souvenirs" by my perpetual favorite band Switchfoot.

This song envokes the thought of memories, life decisions, and loved ones. Everytime I here this song I think of how blessed I am that I have received two different groups of people in my life since July. One is of course, the group of American students/fellow crazy people that I spent three weeks of language camp with (those weeks would be the second, third, and fourth best weeks of my life). The otther would be the 2012 Steubenville Atlanta LEADers. Both groups are some of the best friends I have ever had.

The first group helped me prepare for the totally craziness of life in Germany. The culture shock, homesickness, lonliness were all partially or totally erased over the course of those three weeks. I have never had a group of close friends with such a broad spectrum of beliefs, traits, and interests in my life. They are my primary support group while I am here, be always the first I run to when I encounter a problem or a conflict.

The second group, the LEADers, are just plain awesome. I grew so much spiritually in the week I spent with them. I truly think they are something I miss the most, along with my family and close friends. It never truly hit me how much I learned that week until I came here to Germany, how much I developed and matured. That week in Georgia before the Steubenville conference was probably crucial to spending my time well here.

But, "it does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live" and despite the fact that I dream where I can have all these people in my life again, here in Germany, it can't happen. So as I type this, the song ends, quickly picked up NEEDTOBREATE's Something Beautiful. A fitting song, considering, that is what I am here for. To see, to live, to expierence, to learn something beautiful. However, I have learned that because I maybe easily hitting the high point in my life so far. That doesn't mean I feel good all the time, or enjoy myself.

This is something I can parallel with one of my favorite books, "The Hobbit", Bilbo begins his adventure on an inkling, a thought that going on some mad trip to a mountain filled with treasure guarded by a blood thirsty dragon would somehow be worth it all. As it began, he felt lost, confused, not having a single idea what he was doing. Feelings I expierence everyday. But then the story progressed, Bilbo came to love the adeventure. So it is with me, and (to tie this whole mess of a blog post together) what kept Bilbo going in those early stages were his memories of Bag End, Hobbiton, and the Shire, alike my memories with those people keep me going everyday, all day.

Memories are a support, but can also fell a person so easily. One must be glad that those expierences, those people, are what carried him here, to this moment in time, in this world. But be careful not to get addicted to the drug of nostalgia, as that what causes men to wish they live in the past.

Praise and Thanks always,

Sean