The summer between my freshman and sophomore years of high school Robyn and I went to Six Flags together. I remember us walking through the park feeling like BAMFs because we were 15 and rocking the park alone. The best part was riding the American Eagle backwards. No joke.
Anyway, I specifically remember us talking about what we believed would be the most romantic wedding proposals. All of the typical cliches were in there, the Eiffel tower, Times Square, blah blah blah... Robyn, the Greta Garbo that she is, stated that she thought it would be completely wonderful to be proposed to on a roller coaster. I suppose I probably agreed with her, although I was not doing her any favors that day.
Being 15 is so weird. I didn't have a handle on my acne, still wore a retainer, and couldn't quite figure out which nerdy clique I wanted to be in (the theatre kids, the art and french club, or the yearbook staff). I had overalls and a draw string back pack. Gross.
At times, I still feel like I am the same obnoxious, awkward, 15 year old. Bad make-up, bad hair, and very limited people skills.
Other times, I think about where I am and can't believe how God has worked things out. I have a completely respectable job in which my boss and customers love me, I've grown to appreciate my appearance, and I have this family that I am convinced will one day rule the world. Seriously, Jim and Jon are a force on their own.
I have a cousin who is 15. He is so lost. I just want to tell him everyday that 15 is probably the low point. I want to tell him that God is stretching him into who he will be.
Robyn once told me that she thinks our lives are like kaleidoscopes. This is one of my favorite analogies that anyone has ever given me, so pay attention. Robyn believes that our lives are like kaleidoscopes in that we have this completely beautiful mess in our scope, but when you twist it, the parts inside scatter and they get completely disorganized for a brief moment, then you come back to a completely different, but still beautiful image. (Lets take a moment to diagram that sentence.) Robyn told me that she feels like when she's going through a particularly confusing time, or experiencing something rough, its like her kaleidoscope is twisting, the scope is changing. Soon enough it will come back to something spectacular though.
I want to tell JP that God is twisting his kaleidoscope, but the beauty of life will come back around, just wait it out.
To be completely honest, I feel like mine is gearing up for a big shift as well.