“We don't forget; our heads
may be small, but they are as full of memories as the sky may sometimes be full
of swarming bees. Thousands and thousands of memories. Of smells, of places, of
little things that happened to us and which came back, unexpectedly, to remind
us who we are.” – Alexander McCall Smith
Everyday we encounter
hundreds of thousands of thoughts, colors and sounds that we use to create
stories and memories. But there are certain memories and events that leave a
bigger impact. If i could keep time in a bottle, the following events would
definitely make the list:
- My last semester
at averett. The
last three months of my undergraduate career at averett were probably the
greatest months of my life. I grew an artist, writer, student, human and
friend. i made had some great last adventures with my fellow graduates,
made some new friends at the spring formal, started my job at the YMCA, I
was preparing to graduate that may and do mission work in Washington, DC
in a couple days, and was making preparations to move to Danville that
summer.
- Geocaching
and photo-adventures with my buddies Marley and Jude. I can truly say
that appetite for adventure and wanderlust came from my friends Marley and
Jude. Many afternoons after class were spent hiking or going downtown or
to the local park and getting some really cool shots. They taught me to
learn to take time out and enjoy the small things in life. To seize the
day and live in the moment.
- Moving
to Danville, Virginia. Moving out on my own has definitely been one of
the biggest responsibilities I’ve had. Danville had become home to me
after my time at averett and I saw it as a great place to transition into
the real world. There are great resources, a lot of my friends still lived
in the area and it's relatively cheap (especially for a recent college
grad). I spent the summer after graduation working at the Y (before being accepted
into the Dan River year program before starting my newest job as a bank
teller) and buying and transferring furniture from Southboston, my
hometown.
- Being
a shoulder for my friends to lean on. There aren't
many people that I’d wake up at three o'clock in the morning to talk or
many people that I’d take midnight drives and Sheetz runs for but when it
comes to my friends, there isn't much I wouldn't do. Helping and serving
others is what I live for. Each one's of my friends' stories have become a
part of me and I find it an honor that they want me to listen.
- My
last day at pleasant view. How could the worse job I’ve held
make the list of my greatest memories? Working for the Danville
redevelopment and housing authority was a trial for me but i think about
the impact I had on the kids in my short time there. Helping them with
their homework. Playing outside after school. Teaching them values and the
act of community-service. On my very last day there, the kids and my
supervisor threw me a surprise farewell party. And as I drove away that
evening, I learned that life goes on and a new chapter begins.
- Visiting
Virginia Commonwealth University. Anyone who knows me knows about my
obsession with Richmond, Virginia. The art. The music. The
hipsterspeople. The city in general. When I went to visit, I was still embarking on what I wanted to do in life. But VCU helped refuel and feed my creative passion. I was surrounded by a cohort of people with similar interests as me and I felt like I had found a home. Do I regret going to averett? Not one bit. I’m considering going back for my degree in journalism and plan on making Richmond my home. - Adventures
with my friend Elizabeth. Whenever I’m with my free-spirited
friend Elizabeth, roadtrips and adventures are bound to happen. We’ve been
to Durham, North Carolina to visit a cool camera store, a mom-and-pop
vegetarian restaurant and a book-and-record store. We’ve served as staff
leaders for the Virginia center of inclusive communities' connections
camp, a camp teaching highschool students about diversity, and our latest
adventure was a trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for her twenty-second
birthday.
- Overcoming
my anxiety issues. I am better now. If you would have
met me four months ago, you would have seen a different guy. A guy full of
panic and fear who was unsure of his future. A guy full of worry and
self-doubt. But after making some new starts and with the support of my
big brother and my friends, I’ve fought my battles, conquered my fears,
and defeated my demons and became human again.
- Taking
a road-trip to see my brother roger. A couple of summers ago, I
took a road-trip to visit my brother roger who was living in Eden, North Carolina
at the time. We grabbed lunch and spent the day just riding around and
catching up on old times. This was one of the first road-trips i had ever
taken and it was great catching up with a good friend.
- Mission
trip to Washington, DC. As stated at the beginning of this
post, shortly after graduating from averett, a group of students from the
Christian student fellowship took a mission trip to Washington, DC
focusing on hunger relief and homelessness. We served at a soup kitchen
with the organization SOME (So Others May Eat.),
learned about international hunger aid and served at a battered women's
shelter. Not only did it feed my desire to travel but it opened my eyes to
the world of service and humanitarianism. I can definitely see myself
working more in mission fields later on in life.