Tricked you, didn't I? You thought this was going to be some kind of engagement announcement, I bet. Sorry to disappoint, but it's not. The title was intentional, however. Let me explain - but as a warning, it's gonna be a long explanation.
My senior year of high school, I struggled with choosing the right college. I had wanted to go to one my entire life and at the last moment changed my mind, even though I would receive less financial aid and be farther from home. But I've never regretted the choice.
In leaving what I knew, I discovered so much more. It was my first solo adventure. I found a group of great girls I can talk about anything with. I found a drop-dead gorgeous campus that always brightened my day, however dreary, as soon as I walked outside. I loved the sugar maples in the fall, the carillon in the winter with gently falling snow, the flowers in the spring and summer. I found the man I love. I found a marching band that became an all-consuming obsession and a way to learn about myself while playing awesome music and exercising with my best friends. I found faculty in my major and minor departments who truly cared about their students and became more like distinguished friends. I found a church home where I could gladly go every single day of the week, where I could lead and follow and learn, where I always felt at home. I think that's what I miss most. That, and knowing that it will never be the same again.
I'm a firm believer that each and every year is the best of your life - it is what you make it and if you make it that way, each year is better than the last in its own unique manner. I know that my graduate school and its town have a lot to offer and that I'll enjoy the time I spend here. But every time I think of my undergraduate school, I find myself smiling at the memories, and an ache in my heart like when a person is separated from his or her love. If that doesn't tell me I found the right place to get a Bachelor's degree, I don't know what does.
So for now, I'm working on remembering that adventure and storing its happiness away for a rainy day. In the meantime, there's another path at my feet. It doesn't do to get lost in the past and forget to take the path that lies ahead. Without looking forward, it's easy to fall over (and as someone who broke her ankle in three places just five months ago, it's very important to remember that)! Thank you for treating me to a brief trip down memory lane. Now, onward we travel, up the path that lies ahead.
