What’s up peeps! Geez, 2022 has already started with a whirlwind. Just in case you were wondering, yes Covid is still real and it is not a fun-filled time. I could have never imagined that I would be spending the start of this wonderful new year closed up in a corner of my room in my host family's house. At first, that might seem sad, and while yes it is unfortunate, I would love to point out the positive side of quarantine while being a fellow.
First, my host family has been incredible. If you haven’t had the privilege to meet the wonderful Frank and Jessica Bartolini you totally should. They have been the absolute definition of living with a servant's heart. Since the moment I tested positive they both have gone above and beyond to make me feel so comfortable and loved. They’ve brought me food, showered me with jokes, and have consistently checked up on me throughout this whole experience. They also have these two amazing kids, Gabby and Evan, who serenade me with violin, piano, and a karaoke machine every afternoon. Who wouldn’t want their own private concert??
One of the best things about this semester so far has been the ability to take a glimpse of the life I’m living. Both our vocational retreat (with my man Bruce) and quarantine have taught me to take a step back and look at my life with a new lens. I’ve learned that I honestly don’t thrive in the fast-paced lifestyle where relationships get glossed over. I’m just not wired that way. I’ve learned that the true beauty of life comes when you stop drinking life from a firehose and start drinking from a glass of water. It comes when you start being present, over perfect.
True life comes when you realize you shouldn’t flub who you are. You shouldn’t push down the ugliness just to save face. You should be real with those who love you because guess what? They love you. True life comes when you value relationships and memories over a To-do list. It comes when you don’t live a rushed life and miss God’s beauty in it all.
So, in the craziness of life, choose to be present over perfect.
-Luke Harvin