A Regular Post

After delaying, procrastinating, ignoring, and outright evading posting on this blog due to a lack of creative energy and ideas, I have finally come to the sad realization that not all my posts are going to be brilliant creative pieces of prose, and my readers (all three of them) are far more interested in the life of Ben than reading the next Great American Essay. So anyway, here’s what will hopefully be the first in a series of non brilliant but (most importantly) regular updates on my life.

Quite honestly, I probably shouldn’t be taking the time to write this right now. After two months of relaxed boredom, school is finally picking up and I’m beginning to feel challenged, stimulated, and even a little bit stressed. Between now and the Wednesday after Thanksgiving Break, I have to:

1) Study for a major Greek test.
2) Write a final draft of my exegesis paper (which is taking the form of a sermon) (8+ pages)
3) Write a 15-18 page term paper for my Church History class.
4) Write a 4-6 page paper on power and marginalization for my Pointless Public Practice of Theology Class.

However, compared to last year around this time, when I was frantically writing my honors thesis, pulling multiple all nighters, and coordinating CrossRoads, this is positively a vacation. I’m now discovering the joys of having a social life after several years of self enforced isolation at school. As a matter of fact, for the first time in several years, I’m able to hang out with friends, expand my social circle, go out on a Friday evening, and generally enjoy myself without the burdens of responsibility. In short, I’m living life as an early twenty-something should be living it.

It’s a very healing experience. I’ve learned this semester that my worth us in no way connected to my grades or my responsibilities. I’m not sure I could have handled going to a more intense school or program this semester. Having this opportunity to rest and relax has given me a chance to start processing the seismic changes in my life overthis past 14 months: my cousin Josh dying, graduating, having my parents move, moving away myself, being “desingled”, and leaving my spiritual home at Green Street. Even though there are days when I’m frustrated with my school’s program, this experience confirms that Drew was the right choice for me.

Let me finish by saying hi to everyone back home. How are you all doing? How are things at Green Street? Feel free to post a comment or send me an e-mail and catch me up!