Let me start at the beginning. I was once a young boy, I grew up, and went off to college. That's the last most people heard of me. So, here's my little college story:
I arrived at Virginia Tech in 1993, and no one knew my name. I was set out to change this. I started out college majoring in Engineering, which I thought I had the mind for. After a tough first year, I discovered something. I like to write the number "8" in one stroke of the pen, without lifting the pen 4 times to make 4 semicircles! I also like having a social life, talking to people, and having time to see people besides when I'm running out for lunch while my program is compiling itself.
Alright, it was never like that for me, but it could have been, and would have been if I had stuck it out through Engineering. So, what happened? Everyone seems to want to know this one. There are many confusing points about my college life that many people have never seemed to piece together, this should help with the glue.
Sophomore year was a new year. Half my friends either didn't come back (including the previous year's roomate), or were too busy doing something else, so I quickly made new friends. I joined a rock band with a bunch of students. People - I will tell you - this band rocked. We blew away the main band when we opened for them, and we started lining up gigs after a bit, and gaining a following... but I'm getting ahead of myself. School started out ok, but then the stress factor took it's toll, and *poof*, no more Stevie! Yes, the band was my outlet for stress, but soon that in itself became stressful. Yes, we were good. But getting good took much work. Keeping us from strangling each other took more work, and soon, this great rock band decided to go it's seperate ways. About this time, I dropped out of college. *gasp!*
Yes, it's true, and I hadn't learned yet, so I decided I could just find a job and keep going with my life. Things never happen as I plan them. I worked 2 different jobs over the next year and while things seemed good on the surface, there was something boiling on the inside, just waiting to get out. It was my brain! Yes, after a year of not being appreciated either verbally or financially by my employer, added to the fact that my brain had been in "stand-by" mode for a long while, I left my job, and ran back to school. This time with a plan.
I started off the fall semester with high hopes, and ended it with accomplished goals. Things were starting to look up, and at the start of the new year, I had moved into a townhouse with a great bunch of friends. Who knew it would get better?
Spring semester was going well, but as I pieced my life back together with duct-tape, I knew a more permanent solution must be found. I am referring to the spiritual side of what is me. In April, I went on a retreat program through my local church. It's called Encounter With Christ. And while I'm not going to turn this into an evangelistical soapbox lecture, I will say that this was a great program, and if you are in college and are interested in learning more about this program, feel free to email me, or contact your local CCM. On with the story...
So I went on this retreat, but this time, everyone knew my name, because we all wore nametags for the weekend. Now I can't tell you what happened over the weekend, but I will say that I left the weekend with all the answers I was looking for, and then for kicks, the big guy threw in an extra bonus, and introduced me to the love of my life, my future wife.
Yes, this was the magical weekend I met Christine. It was one of those storybook moments, where when we first talked to each other, it was love at first sight. We were drawn to each other by some outside force, and by the end of the weekend we were inseperatable. Our first date was later the following week, and it's been magic ever since. I proposed to her a year later, and she said yes! People ask, "When's ths big day?" Hmm, good question! We're looking at next July. We're both very excited about it.
"But Steve," you may ask, "what about the rest of college?" "What about the following year you left out... you know, the good stuff." Well, my answer to that is that everything is working itself out, with a little help. I've been keeping up with school, and working towards my degree in Accounting. I've focused more of my time on the "more important things in life" and less on trivial things. There's not much to say. People aren't interested in happy stories... they want stuff with violence and explosions and stuff happening. Well, for that reason, I end here. There were no nuclear explosions, and no motor cycle gangs running through my townhouse. I live now in a world where I have seen where I've been, look forward to where I'm going, and I'm happy with what I see before me. I've found a place where everyone knows my name. Peace.