Pre-Departure: A Quote to Live By

"Wherever you go, be all there." - Jim Elliot

One of the many things I struggle with is living in the present. I'm one of those people who often looks back at the past with longing or forward into the future with a mixture of excitement and fear, both of which holds me back from enjoying the present moment. I know I am especially going to grapple with this issue while abroad when I'm homesick for my family, friends, beloved school, and the normalcy I've grown accustomed to over the past two and a half years. One of my goals for this semester in South Africa is to try to stay focused on the present so that I can appreciate every moment of this wild adventure I'm about to embark on. This is why I choose Jim Elliot's quote to be the over-arching theme of my blog and mantra for the next four months. As hard as it will be to be away, I have to remember that all those who truly love and care about me will still be there when I get back and that they all want me to enjoy my time abroad. So wherever my path leads me, I need to be all there in that moment because who knows when I'm going to have the opportunity to be in that place or mindset again.