Meditations on the journey
It's been a while since I have come back to Sojourn. I really enjoy writing for this blog, but don't always have the mental energy to put in what I'd like to get out.
As many of you know, this year has been full of...well, fullness. I put on a trumpet recital. My best friend got married. My other best friend moved to North Carolina. I met a girl. I started planning a wedding. I finish school in four weeks.
So what does this have to do with Sojourn, blogging, or really anything other than an exposition of my personal life?
This year has been a giant realization for me that life exists outside of myself. Let me unpack that statement for you. That sentence has two meanings which are equally true. The first one is that there are other people exist who are not me. I have begun to realize this year the selfish tendencies that I had, the inward focus where "I" was the most important person in the world, and have slowly started to make the other people in the world more important than I. It's not easy. This process is greatly helped by having a fiancee, I have to say. I envy the people who are able to value others more than themselves easily (Tyler Stynsberg, I'm looking at you). The process isn't easy, but at least I'm aware of it now.
The second meaning is that if I want to truly experience life, I must look outside of myself. Life does not just exist in the narrow arena that I exist in - there are things to see and ideas to think that I cannot even begin to comprehend unless I explore. That is just the beginning of it, though - I have started to realize that He who gives life transcends that which is "me". And if I want to live life, I must learn to experience my Creator.
-Matt
p.s. if any of you who find yourself reading this are interested, you are more than welcome to come to my wedding ceremony! I am marrying Elise Dyck on Saturday, June 18th at 1 PM at Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church in Winnipeg. There will be cake and punch afterwards!
As many of you know, this year has been full of...well, fullness. I put on a trumpet recital. My best friend got married. My other best friend moved to North Carolina. I met a girl. I started planning a wedding. I finish school in four weeks.
So what does this have to do with Sojourn, blogging, or really anything other than an exposition of my personal life?
This year has been a giant realization for me that life exists outside of myself. Let me unpack that statement for you. That sentence has two meanings which are equally true. The first one is that there are other people exist who are not me. I have begun to realize this year the selfish tendencies that I had, the inward focus where "I" was the most important person in the world, and have slowly started to make the other people in the world more important than I. It's not easy. This process is greatly helped by having a fiancee, I have to say. I envy the people who are able to value others more than themselves easily (Tyler Stynsberg, I'm looking at you). The process isn't easy, but at least I'm aware of it now.
The second meaning is that if I want to truly experience life, I must look outside of myself. Life does not just exist in the narrow arena that I exist in - there are things to see and ideas to think that I cannot even begin to comprehend unless I explore. That is just the beginning of it, though - I have started to realize that He who gives life transcends that which is "me". And if I want to live life, I must learn to experience my Creator.
-Matt
p.s. if any of you who find yourself reading this are interested, you are more than welcome to come to my wedding ceremony! I am marrying Elise Dyck on Saturday, June 18th at 1 PM at Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church in Winnipeg. There will be cake and punch afterwards!
posted by Matt at 11:36 PM
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