Today I leave

Today I embark on a new journey within the great journey that is my life. I am scared and I am excited. I know that everything is going to be just fine. Everyone keeps telling me all these great things about myself. I have never felt so much love. I wish I could just live within the past two weeks. All I have been doing is spending time with the people who love me. I know that when I leave Pittsburgh, I will leave a core group of people, who without, I would not be who I am now. If it were not for these people I would not be leaving. I truly believe that I have been molded by the people I have surrounded myself with. You know who you are. (I would mention names, however, I want to leave all names out of my blog.) If everyone felt the love that I have felt there would be peace in this world. I think that it is now my job to go out and share the love that has been shared with me. I might not know exactly what I am getting into (at all), but I do know that I leave a man and I want to come back a better man. I can become this through giving service to my current and soon to be friends and whoever I may encounter. Life is for experimenting. Experimenting requires openness to change. I am open to change in my life. I am willing to take the next year to experiment. It is my belief, at this stage in my life, that god is one. God is everywhere in everything. This includes you, me, and everyone in between. It is awfully hard to live out this belief. If I truly believed this you would treat others as if they were god, I would treat the planet as if it was god. By May of next year I hope to be closer. I don't expect I will every fully believe this Idea, I am human.

This is for everyone who I love. I am sorry if there are spelling mistakes or ideas that you disagree with. I am just going to type what my fingers let me articulate. What I write is only my opinion of what life will present to me over the next nine months. I invite my family and friends to listen to the journey. I am a work in progress. What I write will be my belief at that second and that moment. I think it will be best to judge the product as a whole and enjoy the parts. Remember, my goal is to learn to see God in you, me, and everyone in between. If you disagree with what I may be writing, remember my goal and what it entails.

Beyond this I would like to pursue an even more selfish journey. Eventually I would like to find a job. Or atleast know where to look for one. I have been tacking in the wind for the past four years. First I thought I wanted to graphic design. The wind has blown me in many directions since this first goal. I now wonder if politics is the arena for me. Others tell me no and some say yes. I know that I love design and if it weren't for design I would not have experimented with what I have already so far. How can I merge my interest of art, culture, travel, politics, "saving the world", love, faith, leadership, and service, into one? I hope to be closer in nine months.

My mission is to give thanks. I realize that trying to figure out what my interest are or packing for DC are really minute problems to face. Some face struggles of finding food or a place to rest. For the next year I will have both. My struggle is selfish. I am thankful for the opportunities that have been presented to me. I am thankful for tomorrow. I am thankful for the guys I don't even know who I will live with. I am thankful for the family I have. I am thankful for the friends I have. I thankful for the school I went to. I am thankful that this is free :). I am thankful that I have the freedom to write whatever I feel like.

Until then, enjoy!

Peace and Love,

D.J.

First Post

Before this moment I have never officially blogged. Historically I start something and it sounds completely cool but I never really sustain that something. I the same could occur with this project. However, this is not about me. This blog is about all of the people I have met and will meet in my life. I truly believe what makes us who we are is the people that we surround ourselves with. I could really go down a list of names and specifically describe how each person effected me. I am thankful for each and everyone of you.

With every endeavor there should be a mission statement. "Give thanks".

Such a very simple mission, yet I hope it can become very powerful once implemented.

Along with giving thanks I will mention the various activities I am participating in. I really think that this will be a great way to communicate with all of my friends. I hope that we can eventually all share our stories here. Please express yourself using whatever medium you so desire.

Also if you need some extra motivation please ask. I love to help others conquer whatever it is in their lives that they are facing.

Please enjoy!

D.J.