It’s that time again. You feel squirming worms in your stomach, excitement about seeing your friends, and the slight sadness that summer is over -- it’s time to go back to school.
Soon enough, your thoughts will be consumed by homework, sports, clubs and more. It will be difficult at first to balance all those things, but everything will work out eventually. I promise!
When I was in high school, there was always something, or I guess, someone, that I always forgot to add in my thoughts: God. When I tried to balance everything together, I had pushed God to the side. The only times that I thought and talked about Him were on Sundays and praying at night with my family. I even decided not to wear my cross since jewelry was not allowed while playing sports. It was just too much of a hassle taking it on and off.
One day, I was grabbing a ride with my friend to our lacrosse game. She said sheepishly, “I hope that you don’t mind, but I like to listen to Christian Rock on the radio.”
I was shocked. I have always believed that being Catholic has been an essential part of my identity and at that moment. I realized that I pushed God to the side so much that I couldn’t even realize that my own friend had a relationship with Him and that she didn’t know that I had one as well.
For the most part of the car ride, my friend and I ended up having a lot of fun talking about our faith. At one point, I started reflected on my earlier revelation, and a certain song lyric popped up on the radio:
How could I make You so small, when You're the one who holds it all? When did I forget that You've always been the King of the world?
God was telling me that, no matter where I was or what I was doing, He was right there. I was constantly boxing Him up, trying to confine God to a small portion of my life. In that moment in the car, I was balancing parts of my social and sports life, but there was something that made it so much more fun. It was God. His presence added a warmth to the car ride that I have never experienced before.
God is always going to be right where you are. God wants to be with you. Even acknowledging God’s presence around you will lead to great things.
So when school starts again, and those back to school feelings start to hit, don’t forget who is always there, God.
Stay awesome and blossom🌱
Chi Lien-Dai
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