My final post from St. Paul’s until September. I must say that it’s been one heck of a ride these past seven and a half months. During my time here, I have grown and changed so much that it really surprises me. I expected to come out of this first year more or less the same person I was in September. In fact, I was almost positive that I’d be some troublesome, immature alcoholic. Instead, I come out as a completely changed man. I don’t drink. I’m not immature. I’m not a trouble-maker. I have found God. I have found great new friends. I have found Kristin. The summation of all of these things have made me find the most profound happiness that I have ever felt. It seems that everything in my life is going great, and never have I felt more appreciation for all that I have than now. I love my life! My undying thanks to God and to all those who make me the person that I am.

All of this makes me sad to leave St. Paul’s. St. Paul’s is the place where all of this happened. It is the place where I feel more comfortable than home (especially since my dad moved shortly after I arrived here in Waterloo). Leaving will definitely be difficult. There are just so many memories that I cherish from my wonderul experience here. Here, I am close to people that mean so much to me. I don’t look forward to saying goodbye to people; I’ve said goodbye to a number of those who have left already. One was harder than the others, but they were all tough. In some 10 hours, I will be quite sad again. I know that in four short months I will be returning here, but it won’t be quite the same. Well, it might be similar, but it will be very different, too. I’m nervous about all of it.

It is with great happiness and great sadness that I leave. It brings an end to several months of hard, strenuous work, but so, too, does it end a very important chapter in my life. But it also opens the door to what promises to be a very interesting and very exciting summer. I can’t hardly wait! I’m freeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose this post’s meaning is two-fold. The subject name can definitely cover the two most prominent topics floating around in my head. The most recent of the two is the fact that it is Good Friday. For the non-Catholics or those who are just simply uninformed about the whole deal, Good Friday is a day where Catholics remember the sacrifice God made in atonement for the sins of humanity. He gave up His only Son, Jesus Christ, so that He would die for our sins. In doing so, He paved the way for us to go into Heaven. The fasting comes in as an outward sign of suffering so that we can identify ourselves with the way Christ suffered for us. Furthermore, it brings about physical anguish to remind us that all we really need is not of this earth. When I told my dad that I was intent on not eating a single thing today, he was somewhat surprised. Technically, it doesn’t matter if I have a small meal or something so I don’t die, but I figured that if I was going to go that far, going all the way isn’t that much harder. But, it’s really tough: today at brunch, the small of food was pervasive, and Jordan eating pizza beside me is pushing the limits of my sanity. I will be strong, though. There’s no giving up now; Christ didn’t give up on us. But I’ll be very happy when midnight rolls around. My poor tummy…

I should be asleep right now.
I should be asleep until 10:00 at the earliest.
I should not have been up at 8:30.

CURSES TO YOU, (229) 896-2651!!!!!! So for the past two mornings, this number from Georgia (yeah, the one in the US) has been calling me every 5 to 10 minutes or so. Without fail, every time I pick up the phone, I hear the same thing: beeeep. [pause] beeeep. [pause] beeeep. Sometimes I leave it alone and let it go to the answering machine. When I go check it some time afterwards, I find that I have like 5 messages consisting of beeeeps and [pauses]. I’m just slightly annoyed.

Also annoying is the fact that everyone in the hall seems to have taken a liking to SLAMMING THEIR DOORS! AGH! People are trying to SLEEP!!! Silly, inconsiderate residents.

Oh well. I suppose that I ought to start studying now. One more to go!!!