It isn't quite the end of summer. The leaves are still a vibrant green and the air hasn't taken on a bitter sharpness that it usually does when fall hits. I can still ride my bike with my old man shorts on and throw the frisbee around with no shirt. Even the mountain air holds its warmth well into the evening. Summer is not definitely not over, but I am about to enter into a new and starkly different season of life come Monday morning. I start graduate school on Monday morning at Colorado State University. I will be working towards a Master's Degree in Natural Resource Economics and International Development in the department of Agriculture and Resource Economics. I have just gone through orientation and now it is really beginning to set in.
The last couple of days have been a treasure. My dear friends passed through Fort Collins on their way to their own new season, and another one of my friends came up to celebrate the change, as he is entering into something new as well. While sitting at dinner last night, drinking too many margaritas, I began to think of the collision that was taking place on the back patio. Six people, all taking steps towards something new. Most of us don't know exactly what that means, bit we are confident in the actions we are taking right now. New York, Boulder, Fort Collins and Minnesota are the next stepping stones for our communal journey. These places will be changed by our time spent in them, and hopefully we will be changed and matured as well.
For a brief moment our various walks took us to the same place. Telling stories of the past and celebrating the unknown futures ahead, we basked in our community. It was an encouraging evening. One that reminded me how intricately interwoven we actually are. Some of my brothers were not present, mainly because they are interacting with and changing somewhere else on this beautiful planet, and they were missed. But, their absence was encouraging as well. It was a testament to the values we instilled over many years. It was evidence that we are not made to idle. That we invest in one another so that we may go, change and be changed by the divine places and the divine people of this kingdom.
I have but a couple days before my time is consumed by studying and research. Things will be hard and time management will be crucial, but I am sure it will be doable. Fulfillment will come from the classroom again. Life will continue to move forward. As I said earlier, I am thrilled to be a part of this process, one season into the next. A progression of great people taking steps towards an unknown location. It kind of reminds me of "The Oregon Trail" computer game. We are kickin' it in sweet wagons, moving towards a luscious place that we have not seen before. Some of us hunt for buffalo, for the big kill, and others settle with a couple of ducks. Drew and Laurel will ford the river and Kyle will hire an Indian. Erik will probably try to build a raft. I just hope that little Timmy doesn't get Cholera.
Keep taking steps. Keep walking into new seasons. I hope that I may continue to be influenced by the summer sun and the crisp fall air. Peace and Love.
