Why Worry?

You've got a paper due Tuesday night, calculus homework that desperately needs your attention, a lab report you haven't started, and an exam to study for tomorrow! How will you ever get it all done in time? The clock is ticking each second you contemplate your distress, and as you frantically worry about how you're going to get all these things done, you remember you have tickets to the basketball game! Consumed by the anxiety of all you need to do, you make it through your week in a heightened state of miserable tension. But in the end, you got it done. In fact, as you look back on your week, you realize something funny: you ALWAYS find a way to get it done.


                                                     Cartoon by Bill Watterson.

Our comic strip hero Calvin may not be the most studious boy of his time, and his poor time management skills leave a lot to be desired, but the basic message presented should ring true to a lot of us. We've all been there before; we have a huge project or assignment hanging over our heads, and whether we've been too busy to touch it or have simply procrastinated, we find ourselves in a pickle.

Now I want you to think back to all those times you felt overwhelmed and tell me one thing: when was the last time you simply didn't get it done? Was it ever so bad that you actually couldn't complete a project or submit a paper? Maybe it was late, and maybe it wasn't high quality, but I'd wager that you've almost always found a way to get it done. And if you couldn't get that book report done to the quality you wanted in 10th grade, how has that impacted your life? Is everything ruined?

My guess is it stopped mattering within a couple months. Maybe you feel that the stakes are much higher in college, and every point is essential for achieving your dreams, but does that mean you should be stressed out over question number 6 on your physics exam? Will that problem make or break your future?

My point is not that we should blow off our assignments like Calvin and forget our responsibilities because they don't actually matter; my point is that "worrying" about them is utterly useless. When has worrying about something ever helped the outcome? We should try our best to get the job done, maintain a positive attitude about it, and let go of the anxiety! Have some faith in your ability, enjoy the present, and be an encouragement to others. Planning out your schedule and making a task list is a great idea, but allowing your workload to consume your thoughts and defeat your spirit just isn't worth it. You're a healthy, free, young individual with a bright future; you owe it to yourself for more.

So as THON approaches this weekend, and I try to deal with an insane to-do list (including a deliberation!) I'm going to stay positive and have some fun! By allotting myself enough time to complete the things I know I have to get done, I can trust myself and enjoy an amazing THON weekend. I hope you do too!

             
                           This image is compliments of Good News Text.

Scary Questions

Are there some things you choose not to question? Perhaps you have believed in a certain ideology or mindset your entire life, and you simply never thought about entertaining a contrasting viewpoint. Maybe you're scared about what you might discover on the other side, and you choose (whether consciously or subconsciously) to ignore the question. After all, if you're wrong about something that is fundamentally true to your own being, would you even want to know it? Asking the questions can be quite frightening if you allow your mind to wander.

This is where we find our delightful, inquisitive, and intellectual superstar Calvin. The big questions cross this six-year-old's mind all too often in the works of Bill Watterson's marvelous cartoon strip, forcing him to make a critical decision. He must either forget the notion ever popped into his brain and continue to go on living peacefully (and perhaps ignorantly), or he must pose the question and dive into the depths of fear and growth that may follow. Fortunately for his audience, Calvin almost always chooses the latter.


                                                        Cartoon by Bill Watterson.

What started as a simple thought sprouted into an idea that changed everything. While Calvin's fear in this particular case is being afraid of ghosts, this idea of exploring scary questions is applicable on a deeper level to anyone that is willing to ask.

From personal experience, such questions have given root to various forms of unsettling insecurity in my life. Being raised by the amazing and loving family I was born into, I was taught to believe in a certain set of values from a very young age. Simply put, there were some things I was basically told not to question. While this created a blanket of security, faith, and absolute trust, it left my head spinning in confusion and bafflement when I eventually began to explore the questions in my senior year of high school.

Am I wrong?....the three words that are powerful enough to challenge everything I stand for and relentlessly torment my inner being. However, they only have their power when they slide past that first wall of mental defense, that filter that gently sweeps aside any thought that contradicts a set of core beliefs. The question only gains its power when you decide to face it straight on with an open mind, diving head-first into a messy, painful, yet often beautiful swamp of intellectual discovery.

             
                          This image is compliments of Kevin O'Reagan.

However, it's the testing moments like these where my faith has grown stronger than ever before. After getting my hands dirty and digging through the thoughts that have troubled me the most, my beliefs have been refined and transformed in a way that gives me more security now than before I had even asked the question. And while the battle is never over, I feel confident about the direction I'm going when life's toughest questions inevitably arise.

So whether it's doubts about faith, love, justice, or any other concept you may have seedlings of trouble with, one last question remains: when is it better to play ignorant, and when is it better to pursue a radical thought?

Make Some Noise for the Simple Joys

How much do you think you could learn from the average six-year-old? There may be plenty of little innocent things to rediscover from your childhood, but could the words of a young child stretch your mental capacity to its limits? Most likely not. However, Bill Watterson's comic strip figure Calvin is not your typical little boy; he's a wealth of intellect and a great source of inspiration to an audience far older than himself. Hopefully this week's strip will get your brain thinking!

                                                     Cartoon by Bill Watterson.

If watching Hobbes curl up in the sun in true bliss doesn't make you warm and fuzzy inside, what does? Hobbes isn't rich; in fact he doesn't really have anything because he's a stuffed tiger! All he has is his freedom, his thoughts, his best friend, and a big sunny field. Yet, there's something so indescribably uplifting about the type of peace Hobbes has found. Not weighed down by the cares and worries of the world, Hobbes is perfectly content with his simple, yet beautiful blessings.

If we lived our lives with the outlook Hobbes takes, we'd be much happier people. In a generation that's been given so much, we have everything we could ever need and more. For joy, peace, and satisfaction, why look any further than what we already have? We're earning a wonderful education in a free country, surrounded by people that care about our future and want to see us succeed! If you have a terrible day today, remember that before you go to bed. I doubt you'll fall asleep sad.

Yet, in light of these wonderful gifts, we still tend to neglect the little things. If we could learn to appreciate the simple things in life, we'd never have a day without joy! Of course we'd still face days of disappointment and sadness, but if we looked carefully at our surroundings, we could find uplifting things anywhere. I've made a brief list of a few things that make my day. Feel free to share one of your own if you make a comment!

       
                               This photo is compliments of Steven Johnson.

1) Catching fireflies in the summer
2) My favorite song coming up on Pandora
3) A cold glass of chocolate milk after a long run
4) Getting a letter from a friend
5) Burt's Bees chapstick

The simple things in life are truly beautiful to the heart that appreciates what it has instead of longing for what it lacks. For Hobbes it's a big sunny field. From a worldly perspective, Calvin initially fails to comprehend that basic satisfaction and peace. However, realization strikes him in the end, as it hits every one of us. After all, what's the difference between being a millionaire and being completely broke if you can sit in the sun with a smile on your face? Calvin and Hobbes have each other; what more could they ask for?

Hebrews 13:5 says "Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. For He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" I suppose that's a pretty good way to live.