Day 93: Living on the Outskirts

College brings with it a menagerie of experiences. One of the most unique and distinct instances in this menagerie is social life. Since college in America usually consists of a number of students and young adults living and learning together in close quarters, it tends to breed friendships and a high demand for sociality.

My life has not gone untouched by this demand as I make my way through the often perilous journey. With the high pressure academics as well as tests and papers around every corner, social life plays an important role in managing the stress which accompanies college. Though I often hide from it, my social life has given me many blessings and important life lessons.

However, my life is one that I have always lived on the outskirts. This distinction is important in understanding who I am. When I am the gawker looking in on the fishbowl of life, my personality and identity are necessarily formed around that. Living on the outskirts, only passively interacting in life and attempting to quell feelings of incompetency, has led me to treasure many aspects of life as a whole. I have learned to treasure my friends, my family, my position in the world, and above all, my mere existence. God has been gracious enough to let me live and I have learned much from the outskirts of that life. There is still much more to learn, so much more. I doubt if I could live forever on this earth that I shall ever learn enough, or obtain even a small amount of wisdom.

This conclusion came to me one evening as I found myself halfway up a tree observing student life in full swing. I often do my best thinking in trees, it’s become somewhat of an awkward habit. In life I have found that people rarely look up, so trees are an excellent place to perch if you wish to be alone when surrounded by people. So tonight I found myself sitting securely in a tree, watching unseen as the lives of the student body carried on below me.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,
~ Daisy Buttons