So before I head off to my Italian tutor meeting, I just wanted to share a quick update.
The stark reality: I am suffering from crazy homesickness and stress in adjusting.
Stark reality #2: A lot of the people here are just as overwhelmed, and so we are all trying to fight through the same thing.
Stark reality #3: I have to get through it standing.
Stark reality #4: God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. My life means so much more than a test grade.
Therefore, (and this is a bit of my new philosophy vocabulary coming into play, haha) stark reality #4: In order to get through this time in life I need to take manageable bites and narrow my focus onto one thing at a time.
Like today when we were doing our running in practice, Kathy, the head coach, was telling us that when we get to that point where we don't think our body can get us any farther and we don't think we can make it through the challenge, we just need to take our focus off of the overwhelming picture and break it down one bit at a time: focus on our arms, our turns, our strides, our breathing. Just one little thing at a time and we will get through it. We will learn what it means to fail. And we will learn what it means to succeed. The growth comes from failing time and time again, but ALWAYS GETTING BACK UP and continuing. So even though the past two days I have felt like I have been knocked down flat on my face, I am going to embrace this challenge...one itsy bitsy step at a time. And then, when I cross the finish line? What joy will that be!
I guess cross country was good for something, because here I am back in the same situation. I know I am not going to physically, mentally, or emotionally be able to come out number one in this situation. What I do know is that I will not walk and I will not finish last (metaphorically speaking for parts of it, wink wink). If I can accomplish those two goals and always give my best and try my hardest, that will be success for me.
Keep the prayers coming; I can't even begin to express how much those mean to me.
Much love to all! Now it's off to my Italian session!
O&O,
M
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