Growing Up

I have been volunteering now with the Episcopal Service Corps for almost a month and a half, I was recently told 8 weeks. I have been having a blast down here in NOLA exploring what I will be calling home. But I am also learning what it means to have a full time job and actually be considered an adult in the work place, coming up with ideas that will have an impact on not only the organization but also my neighborhood which I am serving as part of my job. I think that this is probably the single hardest transition I have ever had to make, the process of going from being a full time student to being a full time volunteer/person in the workforce.

I feel like I am learning this process in a more unique way than most, because I am doing volunteer work through a program, which means that not only am I working, but I also have to live within a community of volunteers, walk through the different meetings and activities that the program offers, and find some way of balancing a social life in there some where. Balance has been a word I have used and heard frequently in the past few weeks, balancing my life is important. I know, to most that would sound obvious, like that is not a new revelation, but moving through this transition into a more adult role in my life has brought the idea of balance into a totally different light. One comfort I can take in this whole experience is that I am not walking this path alone, the others who are also in the program are also making these same realizations that I am. I would say there are most definitely three types of growing in life; high school, college, and post-grad adulthood. I have hit that point where I am trying to decipher the complexities of becoming an actual adult.

 I have learned a lot since coming to NOLA and I feel like I could not have picked a better place to grow up and find myself as an adult. I think that going across the country to do my year of service was a good choice, because while I am here I don't have the temptation of running to my parents every time I have a problem, or when I need comfort or money...haha. So now I am left to my own devices on how to solve the problems that I would usually go running to my parents with. I also don't have the luxury of calling them everyday, which only occurred really to me this week when I realized that I had not talked to my mom in almost three or four days. I mean I email with my Dad but that is not the same as hearing the voice of my parents and talking with them about my everyday ordeals. Growing up is an adventure that I am still riding, and learning all of the twists and turns of different aspects of my life that I have had to adjust or just flat out change. I think what will be the most interesting thing after this experience, will be to see where I end up, will I stay here in NOLA or will I look to find the next step in my life? I think that is a question that I must leave up to God, because while I have my ideas, God is the only one who truly knows my life path. But I guess until then, I will just have to continue on with this roller coaster I call growing up into adulthood.

Well till next time,

Peace