Metro Minute: Where I'm Supposed to Be

I know, it's been a while since I've written anything here. However, my travel schedule has been completely changed recently as I am now entering the university equivalent of the Twilight Zone. The lines between studying and sleep will become increasingly blurred and I'll wake up suddenly as if out of a dream on the 21^st and realize I'm on an airplane home. This all said,I really have nothing planned to write here but just really wanted to write. I don't know why as I don't know what.

One thing that's become increasingly clear is that I am definitely in the right place. Often when students go off to university the last thing you expect them to do is to instantly grow in their walk with Christ. They don't necessarily need to get worse, no, but to grow? Seems a bit odd for their first year (unless of course they are in a Christian university, but even then). And yet, that's exactly what has happened here.

From day one my parents made absolutely sure I was placed in a church with people my age that I could identify with. This has been extremely useful. Normally when we come here we go to my grandmother's church which is a quiet, sleepy sort of place with an average age well over sixty. I certainly did not relish the thought of going there. However, my parents have roots here in a church closer to downtown which, while not void of elderly (and honestly a church would feel very weird without them; but this isn't the point look at the next phrase), has a vibrant and diverse youth group. On an average night there will be forty young people. Being around all these young Christians all going through the same things I am (school, finals, the transition from childhood to adulthood, etc.) has been invaluable. While I haven't gotten extremely “close” with anyone of the group yet I've still been inspired and encouraged by them in a major way.

But that is not all. I also, at the recommendation of my youth leader back home, got involved with Campus for Christ (which will soon be renamed Power to Change). This has been huge. A university campus is a big place. There are a lot of people; over 20,000 undergraduate students attend McGill. For someone like me who isn't exactly a social butterfly (understatement of the year I know) it can become a little overwhelming; all these people and you don't know a single one of them. As much as I hate to admit it I am still human and humans do need some level of acceptance by others. Well, “need” but that's a whole other topic. We all would get lonely without others by varying degrees. The point is, having a Christian circle of friends that you meet with once a week and often bump into on campus because of similar walking directions and paths has also been quite encouraging.

In addition, you will recall (okay maybe you won't, I don't know) that a few posts back I was talking about how I had, in the space of just three months, done something I had said I wouldn't do; that is, go “sharing” in the cafe. I have now done that twice and have lead one of the discussions as opposed to being “wingman”. If you told me back in September that I would have done that by now I, quite honestly, would have laughed in your face (I do that a lot regardless but that's still not the point). Also, I now eagerly look forward to my next opportunity to play the piano for worship at church, whereas a few months ago I was reluctantly taking my brother's place on the keys as he was needed elsewhere on the island for three weeks.

I still have a long way to go, however. I still struggle with various things. I still have unanswered questions. Heck, I'm still not completely certain I'm doing the right thing academically speaking. But I know that I'm getting closer and that I'm supposed to be here in McGill. That's a good starting point, don't you think?