The summer is over.
This is a fact that I only just realized a few days ago. I was at Barnes and Noble before work, buying a planner in an attempt to organize my life. I'm a list person, always have to have my tasks out in front of me, because in the next second I will forget what I have to do. This stems from a constant personality trait of living in the moment. I'm here one minute then over here the next, constantly moving and changing in an endless circle of ups and downs. But as I was buying this planner, finding one that was perfect for my hectic life and large sloppy handwriting, I opened it to the first page. It started with August 1st 2010. I was immediately upset, wondering what in the world I was going to use to organize my life until August first, when I stopped and realized that it was actually August tenth, and we were not in July anymore. This fact hit me like a slap in the back of the head, as I realized the beginning of school was only a mere 20 days away. And of course, as it tends to happen, images of the past summer flashed before my eyes, set to "Wouldn't it be nice" by the Beach Boys.
There was grief, there was sorrow, and a fair amount of tears. But there was also laughter, love and life. I did not understand at first why it was that God had thrown everything at me like that at one time. I have realized in this past summer, that I am blessed beyond belief with the opportunities that I have been given. To be in this place, to be able to look out the front door and see the ocean stretching in front of me, like a shimmering blue blanket covering half the world. Or to have friends who will offer everything they have just to save me gas money, or drop what they're doing so that I can have a shoulder to cry on.
This summer has humbled me more than I can say. Living so far away has forced me to rely on others more than I ever have in my life, and independent Felicity is finally getting a break. The girl who never accepts charity is giving in and letting others take care of her. And in return, I have never taken care of others more than I have in the past couple months. Often times people take advantage of me, because of my inability to use the word "No"; however, surrending myself to the needs of others has become a blessing rather than a chore. This summer taught me that.
It is absolutely amazing the timing God chooses to let people in and out of your life. I once heard a movie character say that life is like a television show. Where we are the stars of our own show, constant, never changing, and the supporting roles flit in and out like butterflies. I cannot say how true this is. A few months ago, I lived my life based on the supporting characters, forgetting who the star of my show was, and also who the director was. God. Because in the end, my show will have had only those two constant figures. God took away two roles this summer. Two people that left torn holes and chafed scars on my heart. But yet he filled those empty spaces with even more characters, ones who taught me how to love without prejudice, live with self confidence, and never give up on what I wanted.
Those who left me taught me what the words "I miss you" really meant, along with the meaning of unconditional love. Because of these experiences I have matured more than I can say, and this coming year is holding so much more that I cannot yet see. I live it for God as always, and even more so knowing what I now know about the world and about myself. My Uncle gave me the best advice so far, something I have always known yet had somehow forgotten in my distraction several weeks ago.I had forgotten prayer. "You're a rescuer Felicity..." He had said. "You want to save everyone. But remember, you never have to rescue alone." These words hit me, because I had forgotten to ask for help. I was so consumed by my ability to take care of myself that I had forgotten that I wasn't really taking care of anything, God was.
So I surrendered. And it was so reassuring to crawl back into the arms that would keep me safe, and would wipe away my tears. And those arms are always there, hovering over me, the rainbow after the storm. So I'm ready for the summer to end, and for the rest of my life to begin, wherever he chooses to take me.
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