Well, its about time I finally post a new blog up here. If we are being honest, Ive written this post multiple times, multiple weeks ago. I have written and rewritten and deleted this post, because there is just so much to share that it seems almost impossible. I have finally decided that I am going to at least try to sum up these feelings and emotions I have experienced the past month after Link Year came to an end. So here I go:
So Link Year has come to an end, and it has honestly been one of the hardest transitions of my life. I thought going into Link Year was a hard transition, but coming home after has been even harder than imagined. The only way I can explain it (and I’m not sure if this is even totally exact yet) is it feels like I am coming back from a nine month “camp high” mountain top. I have been living with the same people for nine months, growing close in Christ with them. It wasn’t always easy, and was not always filled with fun activities, but it was always an adventure taking place. To go from every day being poured into by others, and having time each day to sit and meditate on God’s word, back to crazy reality and home has been a different transition. It’s not that its a bad different, just a weird different. Even the tiny details of Link Year I noticed are missing, such as waking up to my roommate getting ready, and now being home I wake up to my alarm instead. Or having to walk outside and to the dining hall to have my morning coffee, now I just walk to the kitchen (which is so nice). I don’t think it truly hit me that the year had truly come to an end until I made it back home after our graduation. I realized that there are people, now, that I may never see again…not because I don’t want to, but because life will keep moving. My favorite thing that someone said at graduation was “just know, that I will probably never see you again, but I will always love you and remember this awesome year I had with you.” This stood out, because I truly will always love my linkies even if the next time I see them is in heaven.
Doctor Suess states “Don’t cry because its over, smile because it happened.” If we are being honest here, I have wanted to cry every day this week. I have sat around moping about old blog posts of mine, or videos of my friends dancing, and other posts on instagram about Link Year. No one warned me about how hard it was going to be after it all ended. It is such a bitter sweet feeling of moving on and I have no idea where my emotions rest with it. This quote has been my battle cry, because I have to constantly remind myself not to be sad that its over, but to be happy because I got to experience the most amazing year with the most amazing people. It really has been a year to remember, from going dumpster diving on what feels like a regular basis, and late night shenanigans every Thursday night after The Fort with the “onsie squad.” Or even breaking my ankle trying to break into a water park (yes, this is indeed how I broke my ankle for those who always wandered) and having it bite me back by having to lug around a huge cast around Ireland. There are so many precious memories from this year, I could go on and on, but the moral of the story is this: These people/this year have left the biggest mark in my life and on my heart and I will forever be thankful. I love you lovely linkies, and I am thankful for each of y’all. And I am thankful for those who got to experience what Link Year is like through my blog posts. You guys are incredible! I hope everyone has a great week. See y'all next week (I mean it, I wont wait two months to post again).