Over the last week and a half or so, I've been gearing up to ship out to Maine for a summer camp that I mentioned in an earlier article of mine. It's going to be one of the most alien experiences to me, as it's been years since I attended camp of any kind and one of the first times that I'll be in a teaching role for something that I'm passionate about in this capacity.
Looking back over the last few years, I can see a series of very much "uncharacteristic" events that have led me to this point. From even stepping onto a stage almost four full years ago, to going to school 580 miles from home, to rushing a fraternity, and even to majoring in brain science, I've had this really weird slew of things that I've gone through or decided on that have led me places that I never thought I would go.
It's not that these things are a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination, I'm not complaining in the least bit. They've all been great things that have helped me grow as a person and into something that "summer after sophomore year of high school" me wouldn't recognize at all. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
It all started with a leap of faith that I took all those years ago. And with every leap since then, I've grown to be more confident and more ready for the next jump in the road. A lot of the time, I actually will find myself looking for the next one as opposed to it finding me. Over May Term, I got to work on a professional theatre production that sold out almost every night. That came to me just by my sending out a couple of emails offering to help if they needed it. When they asked if I could come on board, I went for it and in doing so I've gained friends, connections, and people who can vouch for me if I ever go deeper into that field.
The biggest leap that I took out of the list above is going to school far away. Easily. It forced me to go out and meet people, try new things, and explore a place that I had never really even thought about living. If that isn't a leap right there, then nothing is. Not that hitting the reset button is always a bad thing, but there's something deathly terrifying about it. So the takeaway from all of this is that the leap can be a great thing, you just have to commit to it and hang on for dear life because, at the end of the day, all we've got are our experiences and the friends we've made along the way right?
"It's a dangerous business [Frodo], going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you'll be swept off to." -Bilbo Baggins
Take a leap. Get swept away.
