What I learned from the summer I ran away and joined the circus

1. I can never have just one home. To me, home isn't just one place. I am home at Mom and John's, at Dad's, all of Zanesville. OSU and eventually all of Columbus have become home. Jacob's Porch will always be considered home by me. Wyoming became home in May. People are homes. Anywhere my family and friends live will be considered home because I can find love and acceptance in those places. So, to me at least, home is less about a specific place or person and more about love and happiness and security. Wherever I'm happy, that'll forever be another home to me.

2. God will never be what I think He is, or who I want Him to be. I'll never be comfortable with Him, and I'll never have all my questions answered, and I'll never understand what He's doing and why He's letting it happen, but at this place in my life, I'm content with that. It'll probably be okay if I don't figure everything out, it'll keep me on my toes.

3. People are people, everywhere you go. We're not really different. Sometimes people suck. They can be the rudest, biggest assholes you have ever dealt with. They can make you give up on humanity. But then you turn around and encounter the most helpful, encouraging, deep down good people you have ever met. I don't know what that says about us as a species, but I know it's a truth.

4. I love having a job. I need to be employed. I need to feel accomplished, and useful. Sometimes I hate my job, but I love the fact that I have one, and I hope to never be unemployed again.

5. Technology is a luxury. The Internet and cell phone reception here is terrible. We don't have television and movies, both DVDs and going to the movie theater, are a special treat. And we have survived. Technology is unnecessary...it's brilliant when you have it, and makes life much easier, but if my goal wasn't to reassure my parents that I'm still kicking, I wouldn't be on my phone or my computer at all. It's cool when we've got a connection, but it's cool to be unplugged, too.

6. I can survive on my own. I wasn't sure if I really could, you know. I went to college only an hour away from the town I had just spent 18 years in. It's lonely sometimes, but I like my new life. I can survive on my own and be happy. And I'm glad I got the opportunity to know that. I definitely should have called home much more often, though...