graduation

In exactly one week a number of the people who have become my closest friends will be graduating from college. Obviously this is making me sad. While some of these friends will be staying in the area afte graduation, some will be moving far away. Seth and Lyandra, in particular, are moving just a few days after graduation down to Florida. Matthew is headed back to the land of sheep (also known as Vermont). Ryan is unsure of where he will be. It all dpeends on where the church puts him, basically. I'm hoping it's somewhere in New England. He says there is a 90% chance it will be.

On top of the sadness that my friends leaving is causing, the fact that they are graduating is causing me to think. And as we all know, me + thinking is dangerous! What I have been thinking about is what I am supposed to be doing after I graduate. I came to the realization today that in one year I will be a college graduate (that is if I pass statistics this semester) and that's a scary thought.

For a while I was thinking about the peace corps. I want to serve in some way. I love the idea of traveling and I want to serve people everywhere. People that I've talked to that have done peace corps have loved it. But it's a two year commitment. Two years without coming home. missing birthdays and holidays and weddings. And bigger than all that is two years without David. That would be the part that kills me. I get all depressed when I go a few weeks without seeing him. I could not handle two years. But alas he has no interest in missionary work or this sort of thing.

I was talking with my friend Elise today. She is studying in Paris right now. We were talking about the fact that in one year we will be college graduates. And we were talking about the future. She sin't sure that hse wants to go straight into a masters program either. She is considering teach for america or the peace corps. I told her that I had been considering the peace corps but the 2 year commitment was too mcuh for me. But, I told her about the PCUS Young Adult Volunteer program. The YAV program is a lot like the Peace corps, except it is under the presbyterian church and works in area under churches. There are placements in different parts of the US as well as around the world. Unlike the Peace Corps it is only a 1 year commitment. She said she thinks I should do it. She says that David and I have a strong relationship and we will be able to survive one year apart. Part of me thinks she's right, part of me isn't sure. Let me clarify. I have NO doubts in our relationship. I have doubts in myself. I personally do not believe that I could go that long without Him.

so these are the thoughts I am thinking. part of me wants to apply to the YAV program and see if I get accepted. That way I cna decide and maybe that is where I am being called. I would go to seminary afterwards, but maybe I need that one year break between college and seminary? I've figured out where I am applying for seminary though! :) Harvard Divinity School, Boston University School of Theology, Bangor Theological Seminary, Andover-Newton Theological Seminary and maybe Princeton. My grades are not good enough that I believe I have a chance at HDS or STH but people are telling me to apply anyway. I really really want to get into HDS. That is my dream school and always has beenn, but we'll see.

Well these are the thoughts I am thinking and the things on my mind. Lots of praying, reflecting, thinking, talking, and discerning to do.