Well, I've been gone for a while; it's true, check the dates. The past month or so, I haven't been able to articulate my thoughts on my experiences well enough to merit a post, but I'm feelin' some clarity tonight. First, the Top Ten Things I Did Whilst in Europe:
10. Met Alan Moore
9. Rode the Tube around London
8. Saw Avenue Q - quite literally the funniest musical EVER!
7. Stumbled upon my first Da Vinci painting
6. Got my very own hotel room in Paris three blocks from Notre Dame
5. Tried every new food I possibly could
4. Found out about standardized health care
3. Learned that taking days for myself and sightseeing without anyone else is a great thing to do
2. Went to Evensong at Westminster Abbey
1. I freaking went to Europe, and that is awesome!
Second. I live in Flagstaff now. Crazy, right? Oh, nay nay. Crazy, my friend, is having keys to my office and having a weekly schedule that includes teaching English 1050 Monday through Thursday at 10:20 in Room 216. Crazy is paying $600 dollars a semester for my Master's degree.
The point is, I love being here. I'm totally out of my comfort zone, but I have found my people who do not take the place of my other people, but help me to deal with living in a new state. I'm in the right spot in my life - geographically, chronologically, emotionally, intellectually, and academically - but that's not saying I won't continue to try to improve.
The one thing, dear analytical reader, that is missing from my list is spirituality. This past year has been a difficult for my membership in the church, but I haven't ever doubted that my membership is right and a good thing; I've just had questions, and frankly, I've gotten lazy.
I've come to the realization, once again, that life is totally about balance and I've let certain aspects of my life get out balance, most of which has been my connection with God and spirituality. I was trying to distance myself from the things I don't like about going to church or interacting with members of the church, and I began to turn my back on God.
But, my relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Spirit, and my membership in the church has nothing to do with nuisances of church culture or other members. I've learned, through many sources, that I must be Sarah La Rue and that my religious affiliations are through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that my intellectual pursuits help me understand the world and humanity better and more compassionately, that I am an English teacher who loves comic books, Batman, and graphic novels, that I am, always have been, and always been an intellectual and a feminist, and that how I must live is through a balanced existence of all that I am.
6 comments:
This sounds like a rally call to self, and an effective one at that. You're neat.
I love you Sarah! I am so glad that you had the opportunity to go to Europe, though I'm also incredibly jealous. I'm also glad you're loving grad school, and it's good to be out of your comfort zone--though of course it's hard and well, uncomfortable. And good luck balancing everything--it's the key to life but not nearly as easy as it sounds. But hey, at least you know who you are and what you're balancing. I'm still in left field. Have an amazing, crazy time in Arizona!
Yay! It sounds like things are wonderful. Good luck with your classes and life in Flagstaff!
I know what you mean about the loss of spirituality. I thought that having a baby would make me better about things like prayer and study and stuff. Turns out, everything about me has been put on the back burner. Thanks for the reminder that part of balancing your life means actually letting myself have a life!
Heya Sarah, I totally feel you about the whole spirituality thing. It's not easy to do, but living on my own makes it easier rather than harder. You can do it.
Rock on for seeing Avenue Q - I've only ever heard it, but it's got funny music.
Evensong is beautiful in pretty much every CofE church I've been in, but I'll bet Westminster's is gorgeous.
Good luck on school!
I LOVED Avenue Q (I saw it on Broadway). Don't you just love the opening line: "What do you do with a BA in English..." and later when the characters all sing about not being employed so maybe they'll go to graduate school?
I sat through the first twenty minutes thinking about how much my girls would enjoy the musical and then the puppet sex scene came on...
The t-shirt "It sucks to be me" was on sale, so we decided to make it a game and at dinner have everyone tell their sorriest moment of the day. Winner gets to wear the shirt :D
Miss you Girl <3
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