"Happiness is only real when shared"

Being from NorCal, I love the rain....but that means no surfing or diving for a couple of days. I'm a little bummed because my missions trip to Mexico was canceled because the roads are swamped in TJ. However, I'll be in Ensenada in January, so not to worry.

It's kinda funny, and sad, but I've had several customers come into the dive shop this week who are recently divorced. They all say that they are getting back into scuba diving or starting it because they now have all of this free times on their hands and want to pursue what they are really passionate about. It was sad, I had a conversation with a young man, probably in his late twenties, who had only been married 6 years and had just got divorced. Apparently, she was spending behind his back and he is the one now paying off the dept that she accumulated. He said that he longed to take off and travel the world, but that finances were weighing him down. He's a teacher who gets the whole summer off, so he has a dream to put everything into storage and trample the far edges of the earth for a few months during the summer. My conversation with him made me realise that A) One should follow their heart more, and their mind less. And B) how lucky I am to be so untied down. I've had so many opportunities in my singleness:

-I've had time to pursue surfing and diving.
-Had time to be involved with two churches
-Might finish my BA in only 3.5 years.
-I will graduate next fall with my world untied down...I can live anywhere!!!
-I had the opportunity to work at an orphanage in Mexico and build a college in Alaska
-no boys=better GPA
-I can pound away 30 hour work weeks with 15-17 units
-Run off to Mexico with my mother in January
-Research James Joyce in Ireland this summer
-Raft the Smokies
-Run off into the woods with my good friend Dinah and just talk about life
-Have time to Volunteer with a non profit: Giving Children Hope

Even though it's intimidating, I'm turning 21 in 4 days and have the world at my fingertips. In less than a year I can pursue anything I want to. I've been reading the blogs of long term vagabonds lately, ones who type their blogs from Internet cafes on small islands in Malaysia or libraries in Brazil, or Starbucks in the south of France. I want to take off on a grand adventure like that, but it sounds so lonely to travel solo. I don't want to just go on a grand adventure, I want to be a part of one. As Chris Maccandless wrote right before he died 20 miles out in the Alaskan Wilderness, 107 days away from being with any other human being: "Happiness is only real when shared." I believe in all of that truth. We have a desire as human beings to hare our lives with each other. More than anything, we want response; we need to know that we are not the only ones feel as we do (Which is probably why this whole Internet blogging thing has caught on). I see my singleness as preparation to join in that adventure. When I first joined the small group that I'm in, I had the feeling that,"Oh no, I'm the only college student again." I joined Rock Harbor to have fellowship with other people my age. It has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The leader Seth, of whom we share a fond view on literature and classic movies, I learned is related to half of the people in the room. There are two newly married couples, one engaged couple, Seth's parents, his sister, his sister's husband, his aunt, and two cousins, and few others. It has been wonderful to see an entire family who really sticks together and loves Christ, and to see so many young couples relaying on Him to guide their relationships. I am now convinced that there are decent men in LA. Right now is just a time of watching other's examples.