“Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
I've dreamt of going to Spain and Ireland for such a long time, that the whole prospect of what I was doing- what I DID- gave me a sentiment much like this quote from the Hobbit. Actually, adventuring, meeting new people, figuring things out, and making dreams reality had me thinking in many Hobbit quotes...
“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone.'
I should think so — in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Well, I certainly have the "late for dinner" part down. In fact, I woke up the morning of and looked at my watch. I had set my alarm so that I would have plenty of time to repack my things, (I'd had packing troubles and was so tired I decided to sleep and leave it for the morning) take a shower, eat, make my bag lunch (cause I told my host mom I would do it instead) and be on my way at a comfortable pace- Well, as comfortable as having this thing on my back could be.....
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
I've dreamt of going to Spain and Ireland for such a long time, that the whole prospect of what I was doing- what I DID- gave me a sentiment much like this quote from the Hobbit. Actually, adventuring, meeting new people, figuring things out, and making dreams reality had me thinking in many Hobbit quotes...
“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone.'
I should think so — in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Well, I certainly have the "late for dinner" part down. In fact, I woke up the morning of and looked at my watch. I had set my alarm so that I would have plenty of time to repack my things, (I'd had packing troubles and was so tired I decided to sleep and leave it for the morning) take a shower, eat, make my bag lunch (cause I told my host mom I would do it instead) and be on my way at a comfortable pace- Well, as comfortable as having this thing on my back could be.....
you see, college kids travel cheap. Cheap means Ryanair. Ryanair means (in addition to all things sketchy that I won't freak you out by recounting) that you can only bring a carry on THIS size if you don't want to pay for a checked bag.
Yeah I had some problems and it ended up being quite close, I assure you (but DID "sorta" fit).... Anyways, so I had all this to attend to. When I looked at my watch, I saw that I had only 20 minutes in which to do all of this and leave to catch the bus. "NOT. AGAIN." I thought (I refer back to the Madrid fiasco) and I immediately ran into the kitchen and told my host dad who was tranquilly eating his breakfast, that I had only 20 minutes before I had to leave and frantically raced to the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I came out, my host mom walked out of the kitchen in her pajamas with my lunch in her hand and asked "one fruit or two?" -I'd like to take a moment and thank God for this wonderful human being who is my host mom.- So, I opted to stuff all my belongings haphazardly into my backpack and trust God that I would be able to somehow stuff things into my pockets and slide by the measurement restriction. When I was ready to go, she told me "I'll make the bed! You run!" haha! (I love this woman!) I walked out the door wearing 6 layers (to make more space) plus my polka dot "turtle shell" (I've taken to calling it that. It's extremely fitting I believe) and I walked to the bus station. Thank goodness I could actually walk this time (it wasn't quite as dire a situation as the first) because this thing was like a bowling ball! Well, I guess that's how you go to Ireland for a week with only a children's backpack!
That's another thing I noticed. Continuing on with a prior train of thought I've expressed- now I can add to my "living with less" train of happenings. It's quite interesting how this has all played out. College with (well- still a lot, but less than I thought I needed back then), to Trout Lake Camp with only 2 suitcases, to Spain with only one suitcase and a backpack, and now Ireland with only a backpack. It seems I keep on being shown that I need less and less to live off of and everywhere I go, through every situation, I'm being cared for. Not even just "OK", but WELL provided for. More on that later- So we took a Bus to Madrid, a metro to the airport, and a plane to Dublin.
“There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
We got in the plane and sat down. There's a weird feeling doing things that you consider things "you only do with adults" and then realizing- wow. I'm an adult- It doesn't feel like that. All the sudden I have the world at my fingertips and sitting down, I realized I was literally on my way to my dreams. I love this:
“May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Feeling like this, I decided that I hadn't written a poem in a while and this was a good time to record these things in a poem. So- flying over the Atlantic, looking out the airplane window at THIS, I wrote about how it feels to have a dream becoming reality.
That's another thing I noticed. Continuing on with a prior train of thought I've expressed- now I can add to my "living with less" train of happenings. It's quite interesting how this has all played out. College with (well- still a lot, but less than I thought I needed back then), to Trout Lake Camp with only 2 suitcases, to Spain with only one suitcase and a backpack, and now Ireland with only a backpack. It seems I keep on being shown that I need less and less to live off of and everywhere I go, through every situation, I'm being cared for. Not even just "OK", but WELL provided for. More on that later- So we took a Bus to Madrid, a metro to the airport, and a plane to Dublin.
“There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
We got in the plane and sat down. There's a weird feeling doing things that you consider things "you only do with adults" and then realizing- wow. I'm an adult- It doesn't feel like that. All the sudden I have the world at my fingertips and sitting down, I realized I was literally on my way to my dreams. I love this:
“May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Feeling like this, I decided that I hadn't written a poem in a while and this was a good time to record these things in a poem. So- flying over the Atlantic, looking out the airplane window at THIS, I wrote about how it feels to have a dream becoming reality.
Through an Airplane Window
While Flying over land and sea through sky so blue and bright
I think of all your gifts to me and how I am your light
Your spirit courses through me, Lord
I feel it clear and strong
You comfort and assure me, Lord
Correct me when I'm wrong
I'm flying over clouds and birds- the sun, it pulses down
I'm on a grand adventure now
I'm traveling around
Like Hobbits in their Hobbit holes, I've always been at home
but now I'm here across the world
you show me I'm not alone
You're with me every second, every hour, every day
and I'm reassured each moment when my faith begins to sway
Bit by little bit, I'm shown your purpose for my life
and I can't wait to reach the end and tell of providence through strife
each detail, every story, every cloud that passes by
is a small part of your glory which awaken in my eyes
There's so much life left out there- out that window through the blue
I have the promise of a trail guide
he says "don't doubt- I'll get you through"
My life is in his hands and in that element of trust
there comes an unmatched yearning of desire
to trust him more- and more I must.
Through that bright blue floating window over sky and over sea
I see my bright, but cloudy future
only for Him
to show to me
While Flying over land and sea through sky so blue and bright
I think of all your gifts to me and how I am your light
Your spirit courses through me, Lord
I feel it clear and strong
You comfort and assure me, Lord
Correct me when I'm wrong
I'm flying over clouds and birds- the sun, it pulses down
I'm on a grand adventure now
I'm traveling around
Like Hobbits in their Hobbit holes, I've always been at home
but now I'm here across the world
you show me I'm not alone
You're with me every second, every hour, every day
and I'm reassured each moment when my faith begins to sway
Bit by little bit, I'm shown your purpose for my life
and I can't wait to reach the end and tell of providence through strife
each detail, every story, every cloud that passes by
is a small part of your glory which awaken in my eyes
There's so much life left out there- out that window through the blue
I have the promise of a trail guide
he says "don't doubt- I'll get you through"
My life is in his hands and in that element of trust
there comes an unmatched yearning of desire
to trust him more- and more I must.
Through that bright blue floating window over sky and over sea
I see my bright, but cloudy future
only for Him
to show to me
For me, my future is so cloudy right now. I've kind of reached the end of knowing what's happening. I knew I was going to go to Bethel, and then I knew I would work at camp for the summer and go abroad afterwards. I'm hoping to finish my degree in Bethel, but only He knows if that will happen or not, I know I want to work with kids, but my major is so broad that I could do so many things and I have no idea what I'll end up doing (this is a good thing) and I don't have any room mates lined up for next semester. With only 2 months left of my stay in Spain, I feel kind of thrown out into that bright blue atmosphere. On one hand, I have the world at my fingertips, but on the other, I have no idea what's even going to happen even 2 months from now. My life is a mystery and its like I'm reading the pages as I live them. It's amazing to me how he already knows the next page before I turn it.
“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Well, I haven't even gotten to the part where I land in Ireland yet! Oi. But, this is a long enough blog and I'll write some more later I suppose. These were just some thoughts I felt like sharing from my thinking mood.
(This blog post could very well be called "a very Hobbity blog post" but it was fitting I thought! It's kinda how I felt the whole time. Like a Hobbit! :)
(This blog post could very well be called "a very Hobbity blog post" but it was fitting I thought! It's kinda how I felt the whole time. Like a Hobbit! :)