Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Growing Up

I am afraid of so many things. Abandonment, failure, and anything about water animals are just a few. But what's been pressing on my mind most,  lately, is growing up.
I am fifteen years old. In three years, I will be legally an adult. In four years I plan to be either serving a mission or attending college. Sometime after that I plan to get married.
All of the things above sound lovely, except that I feel miserably unprepared. The only logical solution to this is to prepare myself, so I want to do that. In order to help me with this preparation, I wrote a vision for what I want to be doing next year, in five years, and in ten years. This should help me see what I need to do to prepare and give me focus when I am discouraged, even if my phrasing is awkward sometimes. The first one is definitely most clear, because it is closer and I can understand more what it will be like. (I got this idea from my friend's blog post, which is so beautiful that it almost makes me not want to share mine.)
Anyway, the following is what I wrote:
One Year-
"Today I finished the last of my classes for the school year. Taking five classes in addition to my independent studies was definitely a struggle, putting in around thirty hours a week of studying, but I finished. I didn't do everything perfectly. But I learned so much about myself and the subjects I studied, and I even did pretty well on most assignments.
The classes that I am teaching start up again soon, now that I am a little less busy. I have more clients than last year, and have significantly increased in skill. Also, I am more clear on what Ninniachel Mentoring really is, so I can help potential students understand what they're getting into.
French and Piano have both been going very well. I can even speak somewhat understandably in French, which is a small miracle.
Oh, and I'm officially the age where I can date. So that's cool."
Five Years (version 1):
"I've been on a mission for a full year now. Only six months left. Six months until I have to go back home and find new ways of serving the Lord. It seems slightly unreal, that there is anything other than preaching the truth all day long, every day.
I'm not always successful as far as numbers of converts, but I know that the Lord is pleased that I am trying. He gives me help every single day.
When I go back home I'll head to college to start getting further formal education. I'll continue working on Ninniachel Mentoring. But right now that doesn't matter. Because I'm right where I should be."
Five Years (version 2):
"I'm married to my best friend in the whole world. Never did I imagine that I would be one to get married so young, but here I am. Twenty years old and ready to face the rest of my life with my husband by my side.
The best thing about this is that he and I understand each other. We're working towards the same thing. We both want to be faithful servants of the Lord.
My mentoring has been going very well. I'm still attending college and am very busy, but make sure that my mentoring gets adequate attention. I have multiple mentors who do most of the teaching, but I teach a few students and make sure to be in contact with the rest.
Overall, everything's lovely."
Ten Years:
My husband and I are expecting a baby. Although this is still a huge event, over the past few years I think we have both been more prepared for this.
We've saved enough money that we now own a house, with a nice garden out back to help us be more self-sufficient. We both finished college, and are ready to fully devote our time to other pursuits.
Ninniachel Mentoring is still doing very well. It has grown significantly, so now much of the running has to be done by others. But it still is something that I am personally invested in, and is a force for good in the world.
So, I'm happy. And my husband's happy. And although there are definitely trials, life is good."

2 comments:

  1. I'm glad you decided to post this. (:

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  2. I really wasn't sure if this was an appropriate place to share, so I appreciate hearing that. :D

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