The here. The now.

With only one week left in China, I'm finding myself anxious to see my family but so sad to leave my students and this land that I've called home for the past few months. I am sad to leave my kids, so thrilled to see my family, and excited to see what adventures await!

I look back at the past few months and see times of confusion, hilarity, feeling lost, belonging, missing the hearts of family and friends, and cultivating new bonds with the hearts of the people here, old and young. It's been a BIG adventure and I've loved all the exploring and problem-solving and drinking in the sights, the feels, and the sounds of China.

I look forward to and am excited for the future. I'm armed with new knowledge I gained here in China that I can use for the rest of my life. I'm excited to create my own adventures in the coming chapters of my life. I can't wait to pick up more people to join me in this adventure and get to know more of God's children--whether it be in America or somewhere else in this world. 

And what about now? We can't just look at the past and the future with out looking at the present. Then we are just unhappy. The present is where life happens. Even though it's so sad to say good-bye to my students, I'm grateful for the extra love that is given and received. Even when I'm not teaching, I'm thankful for the time I have to think and learn about all sorts of different things in this world. Even though I'm SO excited to see my family and have all the other things that come with going home, I'm grateful for this time--this small thread in the elaborate tapestry of time that I can savor and reflect.

I have so many thoughts and feelings about this and I've been pouring over LDS Conference talks, web articles, quotes, and TED talks to learn how others live in the present, remember the past, and prepare for the future. One of my favorite lines from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol puts perfectly how I am feeling (especially with Christmas just around the corner!): 

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”

I am so grateful for my mind, to be able to recall the past and learn from it. I am so grateful I can set goals for the future and have hope for things to come. And lastly, I am so grateful for my heart, that I can love the people and the places that are now and take in every moment little by little because this life is a tremendous gift.