Joy

This evening, after a long day of class and a stop at my local hardware store, I laced up my Nike’s and headed to Central Park.

It has been roughly a month since I last ran. Between the move and school and walking all over this island, my exercise has gone on the back burner. But CP? Oh, can I call you CP? Is that cool? Okay. CP, promise to give me sights like tonight’s and I’ll come running to you every day.

The sun was just beginning to set as I made my way around the reservoir. The light reflected across the water and the buildings surrounding the park were all aglow. It was breathtaking.

When I finished the run, I couldn’t help but tear up. Not overwhelmingly so. Just enough to feel it in my eyes. And the tears, they weren’t 100% for the view, although if they were, I’d understand. It was overwhelming to feel the joy I felt in my heart. I know that sounds corny, but that’s where the joy us. Radiating in my chest.

Life here, particularly school and diving into a new social scene (oh my gosh, let’s talk about beginning the single life again…another time), life here can be challenging. My heart races when I get a new school assignment to go interview strangers about topic x and have a 500 word article in two hours later. Or going to a party where I know no one and trying to introduce myself only to feel completely invisible. Those things can be hard! Downright hard.

But you guys.

I feel so much joy. Joy I couldn’t have felt had I not gone through last year. Joy I couldn’t have felt if I didn’t, for a brief while, think New York was only intended to ever be a dream for me.  I’d live those painful moments all over again if I knew that it would lead me to this completely fulfilling, content, ambitious joy.

To anyone going through a challenge, it gets better. Seek spiritual guidance, try and make the best decisions you can, and move your way through it. I promise that those hard times will lead to something good that you’ll cherish even more as a result.