15 years

I was reading my friend, Stephanie’s blog this afternoon and was reminded how time flies. The title of the post is A Letter to the 18 year old me on the 15th anniversary of my high school graduation. It is an interesting look back. I think my anniversary is June 8th. I can’t believe it’s been 15 years either.

Everything has changed and nothing has changed. Certainly, my life as I knew it then has changed. Some days, the fact that I grew up in another country feels like a distant memory. At the same time, it will always be very much a part of who I am and who I am becoming.

Friends have come and gone. I have been richly blessed by both those who were dear friends for a season as well as those who I still consider close though proximity prevents the same kind of friendship as before. I confess that as an 18 year old, I did not believe that I would ever have the depth of friendships that I had in Nigeria. I am grateful to have been wrong about that.

So what hasn’t changed? When I was eighteen, I thought there was some magic age where I would suddenly shift from being a kid to being an adult. I am still waiting. I think this is why Chris Sligh’s song “Potential” resonates with me. He writes about feeling like you are growing old, but never growing up. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and discussed it among friends who feel the same way. I have been told by older wiser friends that they too feel the same way. This is both comforting and disconcerting.

I don’t know what I would tell my 18 year old self. I do know that the verse I chose for my Senior Quote would be the same. I also think it is pertinent for this time in my life, but then that should not surprise me because God’s Word is living and active.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:11-12