A Frown-Smile

I said goodbye to my college years today. These past four years ended with a fantastic trip to Minneapolis for SIFE National Competition! I got to spent four days with some of my favorite friends from Roberts, and we landed among the top 8 teams in the nation after sharing our presentation during the two day competition. I have seen our SIFE team grow and improve over the years as we impact those around us. It's great to go out on top like that, and I'm excited to see where the team goes from here!

A joke some of us had this week was having people show us their frown-smile. It's kind of hard to smile and frown at the same time, and it's very funny to watch people try and do it! Well, the frown-smile came in handy as I drove the three hours back to Binghamton - leaving behind my college years and not knowing when I would see many of my close friends again. I cried and laughed and sang along to songs that hit me right where I was at. Some point along the way I realized I was doing the frown-smile - I was sad about leaving, but so thankful and happy for the memories I have and growth I've experienced. It was such a mix of emotions, and the frown-smile was the only way to express my thoughts.

No. None of those faces above are the frown-smile. Those are the goofy faces of some fellow seniors and good friends Honna, Mike, and Lindsey. As we and other SIFE friends said our "see you laters" (not goodbye!), a few phrases stuck with me.

I thanked Mike for always making me laugh, and he responded with, "Thank you for laughing - laughing is half the joke!" There have been many moments of laughter with friends over the years, and I'm thankful for the way that can help to build a friendship.

A few of the younger SIFE students told me I was the reason they got involved with SIFE. They were thankful for my SIFE spirit and welcoming attitude. I challenged them to choose a freshman next year to reach out to and make sure they "get SIFE'd" too!

Another friend told me I was a huge blessing in her life and in the lives of so many others. I appreciated hearing those words as that is what I seek to strive for - to be a blessing for life. Prayerfully, I was able to impact lives at Roberts for the glory of God.

A final phrase someone shared stuck with me and kept running through my head on the way home, "You are right where God wants you." When looking for a job, my desire was to stay in Rochester. I loved my church, my friends, the area, the independence, and more! My desire was not to come back to Binghamton, but that is where a job opened up - a job that seems to fit me perfectly! While it is sad to see a chapter in my life close, I am anxious to see how this next step plays out, and I am at peace knowing that I am right where God wants me.

I will probably make use of the frown-smile a few more times as I transition into life in Binghamton. However, I am thankful that a smile is part of the deal, and I am so glad I was able to end my college years with such positive memories!