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Appreciate Where You Are

Appreciate Where You Are

One of the easiest things to do in life is complain. I personally do it all the time. There is so much going on and so much about to start. All of which, of course, must be stressed over. For me, that stress was about as bad as it could have been. It even took a toll on my health there for a few weeks. I had a regular slate of classes along with all of the converging projects that entails, two part-time jobs, and a want to be the best husband I could be.

It was hard. I started getting migraines, which I hadn’t had in three years. I was tired all the time. Clearly I wanted to get through to winter break. In fact, whenever anyone has asked me how school is going the last few months, my answer has consistently been “I hate it and I want it to be over.” That’s not because of my classmates or professors or even courses necessarily (although sometimes they factor in it). It’s all about the immediacy of all the deadlines and areas that require my attention and time.

It reminds me of my days in middle school. If we received a two-page paper assignment, it was like the sky was falling. I’d sit in front of my computer for hours procrastinating and struggling through each sentence. Nothing was more dire than my situation right then. Then in high school to college, those two-pagers turned into five, ten, twenty. Thirteen year-old Sage would have had a heart attack if he’d seen what awaited him.

I think part of the reason I feel the way I do is because I, like everyone does from time to time, believe that the grass is greener on the other side. I imagine that if I’m stressing now, then I’ll never stress again after I’ve met this deadline or turned in this assignment. Sometimes it’s been that very hope that enabled me to will through the anxiety. The problem is that’s never the case. Each new stage of life holds its own stresses and deadlines. Thinking that stress won’t find us on this side of heaven is foolhardy at best.

What I’ve lost in my constant griping is the awareness of the positive aspects of my current lot in life. Even though my classes occasionally infuriate me, waves of papers lap upon my shores, and something else is always waiting around a corner, I have a flexible schedule that allows me to have plenty of free time to spend with my wife, have meetings with friends and colleagues, and sleep in (if only I could). I get to live the life of a student. Very soon that won’t be the case anymore. I didn’t even really think about this until now.

But I still have time. And so do you. Wherever you are, whatever stage of life you in yourself in, enjoy the good in that place. There are sufferings, pains, and problems many of you face daily that I couldn’t possibly understand that I have never or could never experience. I pray that God is with you through it all and makes His presence tangible for you. But wherever you are, there are good people and good things in your life. There are seasons in life. Times and situations change. The good parts change, too. Find them and enjoy them as long as you can.

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Sage Blalock

Follower of Christ. Proud husband to Jamie. Nihilistic Tennessee Volunteers fan. BA in Philosophy w/ concentration in Religious Studies, ETSU '16. Classical Studies Minor ETSU '16. Wake Divinity '19. Interests: Game of Thrones, The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, and food. Big fan of food.

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