So I'm thankful for God's goodness and how He looks out for me even before I know I'm in trouble. One of my greatest struggles these last 4 years has been trying to understand why God would provide for other people to return to college, but he didn't provide for me. I've honestly been content knowing that I don't qualify for any assistance and that I need to work harder than a lot of other people to afford the same education. I still don't quite believe that I got a $750 scholarship placed on my bill. I was doing the math and since some of my money is tied up in CD's I was going to be about $1000 short this semester. It would be a cruel joke if I was told it was a mistake. But for now I'm blown away by that good news. And I'm thankful to God, whether investing in my education is a mistake or not.
I'm also thankful that God has given me a perspective of acceptance towards others. The more I see of the culture of cliqueishness on my college campus, the more I feel God is showing me that I want to be the exact opposite what I see on my campus. It's good for me to be brand new all over again - I totally remember now what it's like to be an outsider. Just so I don't forget how to treat new people in the future, I'm writing about it. The below would be how I want to treat others, because this is how I would like to be treated:
When someone volunteers to help with something, I'm not going to stand in the corner talking loudly to everyone but them. I'm going to go introduce myself to them. I don't have to be weird about it, but I can include them.
When someone is new, I'm not going tell my friend who everyone is and then say 'well that's everyone except the new person'. Nope. I'm going to take that opportunity to put some names to those new faces.
When I pass someone on my way to class, I don't have to know the person I pass in order to smile at them. It doesn't have to be weird - but a small smile might be just what that person needs.
If I'm going to an event and I see someone who I know is alone - I'm going to invite them along. Encouraging them is more important to me than 'having the perfect night among people that already adore me'.
If a new person asks me a question, I'm going to go out of my way to help them find their answer because it's the polite thing to do. My response is not going to be 'I don't know' and then turning away simply because I don't care enough about them to try to help.
Guys, you don't have to pursue lonely girls animalistically. Instead, why not just be a little less weird and invite them to hang out with a group of friends. What they need is more friends, not an exclusive on your old spice.
Also, just because I'm talking to you and you're a guy does NOT I expect you to marry me and it doesn't mean I want to marry you. But there's a great chance that I think you're cool/cute and would say yes to hanging out with you.
I don't have just 3 friends and no more. My schedule, my eyes, my arms are open to meet new people.
You don't have to be just like me for me to be nice to you. You could be the opposite of me, you could be way too conservative, you could be wearing clothes that aren't name-brand, you could be way to liberal - but who am I to judge? It doesn't matter if I'm the hottest thing since Esther - who cares?
I may have made really close friends over the last 3 or 4 years. But it doesn't mean I have to close myself off from noticing you sitting there alone. Taking time to ask you how you're doing doesn't mean I have to make you a bridesmaid in my future wedding.
People think making friends is not convenient, maybe because it changes the dynamic of 'their group' or means facing the possibility of rejection. But guess what? It's pretty inconvenient to miss out on meeting that person that might brighten your day, or that one day will offer you a scantron, or that might someday open up to you and share that YOU made a difference in them for life.
I'm going to break the silence. So we have boj's on campus. We also have really snotty people wearing name-brand 'not-jeans'. This doesn't mean I have to turn my head when I pass a boj and then turn my head again because I'm passing a person who I think is snotty. This means I can still smile at them, regardless of who they are or whether they smile back. I can forgive people who have unknowingly sent messages to me without ever meeting me. Because that's who I choose to be.
I think people are scared to make more friends on campus because they're afraid it means they'll have to hang out all the time with people they don't know or necessarily like. Making friends, though, means just BEING a friend. This may just mean little things for a portion of your life - like smiling, nodding, inviting them to join your friends once or twice. Or it may mean the best friendship you'll ever have and that you would have missed out on if you hadn't gone out of your way to extend the hand of friendship. You don't have to expect ANYTHING from them - they may hate you and there you go. But be nice to more than 3 people. It won't kill you.
Starting over is tough. There have been times when I've thought - boy, if I didn't have God, I'd have almost no one. But I'm trusting Him that He understands and He called me to be in a very lonely place to point me back to Him. He knows that by me just trying my best to encourage others who feel the same way, this campus can be a little less lonely by sharing the unconditional love of Christ.
That's the end of my rant.
No comments:
Post a Comment