When you look into a mirror
Do you like what's looking at you?
Now that you've seen your true reflections
What on earth are you gonna do?
Find some inspiration
It's down deep inside you
Amend your situation, yeah
Your whole life is ahead of you
Your whole life is ahead of you
Those are the first few lyrics of a song written by Boyd Tinsley of the Dave Matthews Band. I'm not sure why at 6 am I woke up singing that song, but it completely fits the situation. My last year or two have been full of reflection.
Sitting in church yesterday morning, the pastor's sermon made me reflect on a few things. His message was titled "Finding Permanent Joy" and its three points are summarized with "Deal with your life's difficulties, understand your life's definition, and establish your life's direction." There are two ways to do each of these things. You can do them the world's way, or you can do them God's way. The point that really struck me was "understand your life's definition" and the fact that the world's way is to allow your life to be defined by its circumstances rather than God's way, which is to realize that those circumstances are just that, circumstances, and to ensure that your life is defined by Christ. The circumstances may change, but Christ's love does not.
My circumstances have changed a great deal in the past year or two. Looking back, moving to Europe seems more of a dream than a reality. It's hard to believe that I had that adventure and it's even harder to believe I'm back in Charleston now, doing what I was doing before. I've been going over it in my head a lot and questioning things, trying not to sound dissatisfied with my life here, because I'm not, but questioning my future. I was speaking to a friend in church yesterday and she said something that I really need to take with me from here on out. She said that I may be back in the same place geographically, but I'm in such a different place because of all I've gained in the last year. No one can ever take away the experiences I had and the knowledge I gained while living in Europe. I know I've said it before, but I am quite different, and although I'm still Hannah, I'm a better version of her.
