Well, I've added a digit to my age and the more of life I experience, the more I realize how inevitable it is to share it. Over time we are given these experiences that mold us into who we are, and without a doubt its those experiences that makes each of us unique. One way in which our uniqueness is shared, therefore our lives, is through questions.
Working out and sweating has become a therapeutic, energizing and essential part of my day. Monday-Friday I try to start the day off with a visit to RichCity Crossfit in Richmond, Ky; which is just 15-20 minutes up the road from Berea. There are about 10+ regulars at the 5:30am class at this gym, and this is where I have recently realized just how inevitable it is to share our life stories with one another. Often times there are a few middle-aged guys who will chit chat after the workout. One of them is a little more talkative than the others and is always asking questions to learn about other people. Me being relatively new, he often directs some questions my way. One day he asked how I chose Berea, which is a really common question. So I told him a little bit of my situation when I first started to research Berea. The easiest way to answer 'why Berea?' is free tuition, but for me there is so much more. In my sophomore year I really had no thoughts on going to college or what I was supposed to do after high school. However, I did have a friend from church ask me if college was something I was considering and if so would I be willing to let her, and the people I was closest to at church, help in me the search for colleges. Well low-and-behold one of those colleges was Berea College, which I ended up visiting the summer after my junior year and would eventually receive my letter of acceptance on Christmas Eve. This question may seem common to most young adults. How did they find out about their college or why did they choose it? This common question may yield very common answers for most people, but for me its very hard to answer without telling a snippet of my life story. For me this is a unique question. We all have those triggering questions that when asked to the majority of people a very similar answer may be given; while others may answer and reveal something truly unique about their life story. Another example for me would be how did I get my car? Most people can answer the question by telling of some story of how they saved the money to buy it or tell how they worked to pay the car off or possibly the vehicle was a gift for a special occasion. But when I'm asked how I got my car its a really uncommon answer, because I did practically nothing. My answer always includes that a foster family from church gifted me the vehicle to myself and I also include how it was really a more holistic effort as the previous owners where also members of our church.
As I drove back to Berea after the guy asked me about my college choice, I couldn't help but to be really joyful. I was simply joyful by remembering all who have played a role in my life up to this point and how many people have impacted my life during the last few years though it seems like a lifetime. Sure questions may reveal our life to other people, but just as important it also provides a time of reflection. The last song that played from my phone on the way back to Berea that morning was titled Give Me a Song by Will Reagan. Questions also prompt us to be reminded of our life experiences and this song hit home for me and reminded me that every person that reads these words...has been invited to do so because in my short life of 21 years you have been the chorus of my song to sing to God.