Out of the Woods

There was a time in my life that I diligently kept a journal. Actually, much of my life I daily kept record of my adventures and misadventures. Each entry directed to my future posterity, I envisioned future generations reading and empathizing with my daily, not-so-exciting undertakings on Vancouver Island. I would ramble about hope and heartache, love and loss, often feeling that this week's story of a boy would turn into the early records of my lifelong love story.

Ironically, as the years went on and I got more serious about writing I became less diligent in my record keeping. I'd come across my journal in the midst of a move to life's next destination and scribble out a few pages summarizing the last year's events then stow away the pen and paper with a resolve to get back into keeping a journal.

And so the cycle continued as my life's goals started turning into realities. Gone were the days of chronicling every last detail as those details started shaping the very life my posterity would really be affected by. Blank are the pages that should have highlighted my move from Duncan to Calgary where I got away from the trappings of home just in time to realize the comfort and security I'd taken for granted. The pages don't read about the day-to-day: classmates, schoolwork, Squash games, dance parties...or the life lessons learned from forging a lasting bond with high school friends, dealing with a challenging roommate (SC) or letting a visit with puppies turn into purchasing one while living in a pet unfriendly university residence.

My pen didn't capture the moments of self discovery and cherished friendships I developed when living in Victoria. Or the moment I decided to make the move to a church school in Rexburg, Idaho.

I didn't take the time to write about the way five strangers would shape my early experiences at BYU-Idado as my new roommates. How much I'd come to love these girls I'd never met before. Jasmine who would always make me laugh yet offer such poignant life lessons. Those same life lessons dear, sweet Amber would impart as well as she challenged a variety of subjects in our long conversations. Countless others would come into my life and touch it for the better--Jenette, Daphne, Tessa, Christina, Angie, Wendy, Lindsey, Katherine, Home Skillet, Hurricane, Kimbo, Kyla and Coxy among many roommates I was blessed to live with and learn from. Then there were the Scrollies, basketball teammates and friends from church. All these people and places that shaped my life and I didn't take note.

Now that most of the hopes and dreams I'd aspired to have become reality, I regret not taking pause and making a record. So here it is. My attempt at making amends. I'm a little late at catching on to the blogging world but when have I ever been known to be punctual? For my friends, family, future posterity and mostly myself, here it goes.