What They Never Told You

Though my mother would tell you differently, I believe from a young age I was spoon fed the notion that after college I would be married, popular and having tons of smokin’ hot sex. Erroneous, erroneous on all accounts. Not even a morsel of truth in that fantasy. In fact, post-college was more like taking a huge swig of a drink that you thought was sweet tea, your usual midday treat, but turned out to be diet coke because you made a game-time decision to go against the grain and get some carbonation today. Surprising, catches you off guard, not bad, just…different than what you were expecting.

 I thought I would start my life in the bustling city with a trendy vibe and a happening nightlife. That city that journalists visit and write cover stories about because it is cutting edge and the hippest up and coming spot in the country. God had other plans. I live in the city that everyone looks down on. The city is known for its lack of a social scene, especially its single scene. If you are over twenty here, you are married with kids and a minivan. This started out as a snarky commentary on trying to make friends when you are out on your own, but as I was headed to my favorite sandwich shop to write, I passed this building that I had never noticed before. It’s one of those buildings that is alive with character. Standing on the corner baring the marks of old age, the imperfections in the brick like laugh lines on a face that always sees the glass half full. God said to try it. So in I went.

I walked into a place that felt like home. It is yet another surprise that I found hiding in a neighborhood that most would call seedy. There is so much soul to this city that I find myself overwhelmed on a daily basis. God throws these blessings at us all the time, but do we have the guts to accept them? Can we overcome the insecurities we have about going it alone? Can we face the unknown so we can receive the holy?

They never told you that community comes in all forms, and that it doesn’t find you. They never told you that it is a daily struggle to create a life for yourself. And they certainly never told you that there are some days when you think you just can’t eat yet another meal alone. Daily I am reminded how small-minded I am. I judge the world around me based on the unwarranted prejudices of my youth. This place has grabbed a piece of my heart. In this small, volunteer-run coffee shop that a church decided to start on the wrong side of the tracks, I have found a home. I do not know the name of one person around me, but I have been spoken to with love and looked at with the compassion that only those who have been uprooted can muster.

If you have never been thrust into a world of unknowns, try it. Your twenties is a time of discovery and adventure. I get butterflies every single time I undergo another adventure on my own, but I have yet to be disappointed. I have been blessed to be incredibly rooted throughout my life. I had super tight parents who gave me a home filled with love and challenges, and friends in college that have been my support and my lifeline. Roots were great, but being uprooted has stretched me and molded me. I am closer today to being the woman that God intended me to be than I was yesterday. Peter’s story wasn’t just about faith. God wanted to bless him with an amazing experience, but needed Peter to get out of his comfort zone to receive the full benefits. Stop playing it safe all the time; get out of the boat.