Hey there! Checking in again. Still doing the Fellows thing. Second month in, and I’m still learning all that goes on around me.
Today, I am really grateful for my job placement. Through my work, I’ve had the chance to engage directly with the material needs of those around me, which has been a gift. As a new person in town, I appreciate being immersed in the community’s challenges, especially the housing crisis. The staff around me teach me so much, particularly how joy can exist every day, even when we feel exhausted and frustrated.
Something on my mind as I wrap up October is the friendships in my life that have shown up recently. I’ve also been lucky enough to connect with a couple of old friends this month. It’s cool to watch each other grow up. When I get to know someone, I hope to know them my whole life, and I’m thankful when it really does happen that way.
This month, I also participated in one of the more impactful projects we’ve done in our classes. In our spiritual formation class, we wrote eulogies for ourselves. This exercise guided me through reflecting on how I hope to live and what legacy I want to leave behind. It helped me see what I’m doing and what I’m not doing in my life that aligns with my hopes. I realized how much time I spend on things that don’t truly reflect my values—like my work performance or how prepared I am. In the end, those aren’t what matter most to me. So, I hope to start living and focusing on what truly counts: being part of my community, knowing people, and embodying hospitality.
-Skip