Our Journey Home

I mentioned in my previous post the touching WC devotional on Friday. The girl giving the devotional created a "found poem," a poem made up of quotations from other poems. She wrote a found poem quoting various parts of all of our music and reflecting the theme of our concert. Here it is:

[We are] far from home
In the nighttime of [our] fear
Amid th’encircling gloom
Sick, sad, simple
Weary, weeping, wild
Should we die before our journey’s through?

Lead, kindly Light

Keep the home fires burning
Keep thou [our] feet
One step restores
One step renews
One step rewards
One step enough for me
‘Til we’ve seen this journey through

Sister, surely goodness and mercy shall follow
And the messenger shall say,
“Welcome home”

We’ll find the place which God for us prepared
We’ll find such harmony
We’ll all feel glad
We’ll make the air with music ring

Happy day!
Hurrah!
Lauda!
Hosanna!
All is well!

And in the house of the Lord,
I’m going to live forever.

Not hard to tell why I, along with many other singers and audience members, thought it was a great concert, huh? Don't worry... I will definitely be blogging again when the concert airs on PBS.

I already miss WC. I have thought about trying to rearrange things in order to continue WC. However, sooner or later I have to move on. I know it is my time to move on. It was an amazing opportunity, and I am forever changed.

The Ophelia Syndrome (applied to school)

So, I was talking with my dear cousin today, and he was expressing his frustration with teachers. They say they want creativity, but in reality... they don't. You have to abide by their rules and guidelines. He has one teacher who really does want students to think outside of the box and asked them to read an article about the Ophelia syndrome. Ophelia, Hamlet's lover, followed Hamlet, went insane, and eventually committed suicide (although this matter can be debated). Those who don't think for themselves and blindly follow have this so-called Ophelia syndrome.

This conversation reminded me of reactions of several friends in some of my elementary education classes. Sometimes the teachers give us vague assignments on purpose and want to see with what we can come up with us. They want us to think creatively. This freaks many of my fellow classmates out--"What??? Things are not spelled out for us???" Heaven forbid we have to think for ourselves and get creative. And these are future teachers... oh boy...

No wonder our school system is going downhill. The ones who enjoy school can abide by the rules, and eventually some of them become teachers. Often they don't realize that not everyone likes following the rules.

People are different, and all learn differently. Surprise!

It's the start of something new...

The beginning of every semester always starts the same old way. You'd think I'd learn.

1. Denial of my enrollment in classes and the subsequent homework.
2. Acknowledgment but apathy. Forget homework... let's play!
3. ACK! Too much to do! I do care after all...
WARNING: This phase includes high stress levels, possible grouchiness, and much self-pity.
4. And finally... adjustment. I rock at school.

To be or not to be--that is the question

I've decided I like tragedies... even if there's death. Call me morbid, if you will, but I like them.

I used to consider myself a fairy tale lover. I loved my happy endings, and if a movie or book didn't have it, well, then it wasn't worth reading. Or, perhaps, that ending better be changed ASAP.

Now, don't get me wrong, I still like happy endings, but I am learning to enjoy tragedies. As you probably know, I am taking a Shakespeare class (which I love--even after ~400 years it is still applicable to our lives), and we just started studying Hamlet (which I have studied before). Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, it hit me... I like tragedies. Especially compared to Shakespeare's comedies, there is so much more depth of character. Hamlet is just so... human. His inner turmoil is quite understandable. To feel and empathize with the characters can be healing. Of course, the tragedy must be written or acted well.

In life, there are often not happy endings. Of course, there is a happy ending after we die, but life is full of trials and challenges that often do not go the way we want them.

I do not need a happy ending anymore. I still enjoy happy endings, but there is nothing wrong with a disappointing and thought-provoking ending either.

p.s. This does not apply to my life... I want a happy ending.