as i was walking across campus today, i felt an overwhelming sense of peace as i observed my surroundings. warm weather…carolina blue skies…it was a match made in the southern part of heaven. i’m getting rather nostalgic as my time at carolina winds down. the last 3.5 years have come and gone quickly, and all i’m left with is 94 days until commencement. it’s weird to think that in 94 days, i’ll wrap up another chapter of my life and be well on my way to something new. carolina has changed me in so many ways–academially, socially, spiritually, culturally. my time here has truly been the experience of a lifetime, and i wouldn’t trade any moment of it (happiness, sadness, frustration, hurt, anger, excitement) for anything else. at this point, i truly understand how alumni such as thomas wolfe feel when they describe their time at carolina as, “as close to magic as i’ve ever been” or as charles kuralt says, “i’m only beginning to appreciate the love i have for chapel hill.” nestled between north carolina’s capital, research hubs, and colonial comforts of small towns, chapel hill has made itself into this weird enclave of academia and some rare form of conservative liberalism that welcomes all who wish to engage it. i’ve engaged it and it has engaged me…and i think that my departure from chapel hill will be bittersweet…to say the least.

on another note, i must say that i have been rejuvenated and i’m feeling better than i’ve felt in a long while. i thought i’d be pretty solemn for valentine’s day, but there are always some surprises that can make things better. i’m grateful for the little things and a completely new outlook that allowed me to experience yesterday with the utmost comfortablility and grace. life is good.

also…i HAVE to shout out my friends who have been there for me over the last say…three or four weeks. so here goes…nitras, jovi, fati, carmen, nicole, twilla, malinda, mitch, rell, tj…y’all are some of the best friends anyone could ever ask for. from your prayers, to your encouraging spirits, and all the fun times we’ve wrapped up…i am forever grateful for all of you being placed in my life. y’all have listened to me, helped me clean my room, been there when i thought it was all over…i love y’all…and that’s word.

so…i’m in encouraged spirits now…one grad school acceptance down…waiting on one more. god keeps on blessing me. i’m learning and i’m growing….

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“i’m glad i can look at my past and see that troubles don’t last; that when my soul was broken god placed it in a cast…when i shed tears because i thought it was the end, god said, ‘it’s not over’, smile again…”~meeeeee

“what is it that binds us to this place like none other? it is not the well or the bell or the stone walls or the crisp october nights or the memory of dogwoods blooming. our love for the place is based on the fact that it is as it was meant to be- a university of the people” ~charles kuralt

“there’s no accident…it’s all an incident working together for your good.” ~twilla

“when we trust god, the future always holds hope.” ~upper room daily devotional

“if we let god choose our path, we will discover new blessings.” ~upper room daily devotional