But there’s so much here! The tuition I haven’t paid, the books I haven’t ordered, the classes I haven’t taken, the placement exam I haven’t studied for, the sleep schedule that’s back to normal, the laziness that’s set in, the overarching procrastination that ties them all together *gasp for breath*—why, oh why, did I decide to go to college?
Perhaps the most prevalent response to the future is worry. We all have our moments. And we’re not entirely to blame. Our culture shapes us this way. There’s always another crisis, another threat. And regardless of the legitimacy of those threats, they do their job. They keep us afraid, worrying. Have you ever watched the news? It’s enough to drive a person crazy. And the previews are the worst!
Breaking News: “This just in—there’s something else that could potentially cause mass hysteria, and YOU need to know about it so YOU can freak out too. More at eleven.”
A Special Report:” Don’t trust your pets, babysitters, swimming pools, plastic products, government officials, furniture, or anything imported from China… and if anything you possess falls into more than one of those categories, you’re doomed. More at eleven.”
Weather Warning: “There’s a storm going on right now… It will never even get to you, but here’s some stock footage of a standard American house blowing down, so you can start pondering your own home’s fate, should it ever be pummeled by hurricane-force winds.”
...And so forth, and so on.
Ah, what’s a worrying, cable-owning citizen to do?
One of my favorite verses..
ReplyDelete"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matt 6:34)
I always worry that I will spend more time worrying (ha irony!) about what is coming that I won't be able to take in all of the now. I go back to that verse easily five or six times a month, when my head is buzzing and unable to quiet itself, trying to look so far into the future that I can't even begin to predict what will be happening. I am (and I know you are) a planner, I always have relied on planning and dates and schedules to sooth my frazzled brain, but sometimes that doesn't even help. I worry about everything, irrational and rational, but I have always thought maybe that's okay.. God wouldn't put worrisome thoughts into my head without reason. I hate to be so consumed by worry but it also has an oddly (and paradoxically) calming effect sometimes. It is a routine, and I have forever been a creature of habit. Through repetition I find comfort, the same way moving through the Rosary brings me peace, reciting the same prayers over and over again. Worrying can lead to reflection, and through reflection, an eventual peace.
You don't need to worry Trey, you are a wonderful person. You are going to do amazing and fantastic things with your life, that I do not have to worry about.