Things I miss from Home: (Vol I) 

Charlie Pierce looking sexy behind the counter at common grounds. 

Wes and I dancing to Katy Perry’s “Firework” (I tried to teach the UK people, but their dancing skills are rubbish).

Mrs. Crucero

“Doooooooor!” 

Things I love about my new Home. (Vol I)

This guy- 

Here are the societies I signed up for today:

Rave society (most excited)

Fly fishing society

Watching “Doctor Who” and eating cake Society

Mountaineering Society

Fine Chocolate Society

The first class I’m taking is Aesthetics which I thought would be interesting since I like to consider myself an artist of sorts. The first line of the the first page of the first book said this however, “Aesthetics is for the artist what ornithology is for birds.” In other words, useless (or “for the birds”), ha. But I suppose this is a fair summary of all my college education. Not that it was useless, but that I have wanted to be the bird and studying it as well. 

Life and Death is the other class I’m taking which should be as sufficiently depressing as it sounds. First day of class my professor says, “We will be reflecting on death as the end of existence. There will be no discussion of an afterlife.” Dear Lord. I suppose the final exam will be a test of whether or not we jump off a bridge by the end of the semester, although I can’t be certain which act would give you the passing grade. 

One of the questions posed in class was as follows: 

What is more frightening? 

A) the idea of dying

B) the idea of never existing

Without hesitation, I circle B). I'm a big fan of existing. My attention then goes to the student who sits to my right. His eyes stare glazen into the back of the chair in front of him before twitching back to his paper, commanding his hand and pen to circle A) "The idea of dying." I nearly wanted to cry. The thought that, “I would rather have never been born, than to live and face death,” is deeply sobering. Even without the promise of an afterlife, I would never give up the life that has been granted to me thus far. Perhaps I have been too fortunate. I think back through my life at all the people that I have loved and who have loved me. Some of those relationships have died, yes, but I would never wish for them to have never existed. 

I am often overwhelmed by the gratuity of life. It is simply absurd that I get to experience this world, however it may be presented. I therefore willingly accept all that comes with it because through the holistic experience of both joy and suffering in the world, I come ever closer to the one who made it. For He is love, yet He also suffered. And if I am created in his image, then I will experience both as part of my existence. This is why death is far less frightening than non-existence. 

As I sat overlooking the north sea yesterday, the veil between heaven and earth felt especially thin and I realized that I am the luckiest person in the world… Not because I am here in this place, but because I am alive. What a tremendous gift. And by God’s grace we all receive it.

PS the couple sitting next to me at the coffee shop just starting kissing rather violently... Still happening. Happy Valentine's Day.