Tonight’s Lesson in Gratitude is from Guest Blogger Michal “MJ” Jones.
It has been a whirlwind of a summer.
I returned to Seattle a little over a week ago, directly from Institute of the Musical Arts. Prior to IMA, I spent six and a half weeks interning at University of California, Santa Cruz. To say that I was drained upon my return would be an understatement. I am slowly gaining my energy back after a summer of work. Whoever claimed “summertime, and the living is easy” clearly wasn’t in graduate school!
I am returning to my role as an Assistant Resident Director, preparing for RA training and opening our residence hall buildings. I have often taken for granted the unique and privileged position I have – not only in material benefits but also in personal and professional gifts. Among the perks is compensated housing and meals. I often joke that we pay for our apartments and meals with “our souls,” as residence life is often time-consuming and highly demanding. But the fact of the matter is, I get to supervise many amazing student leaders, work with a team committed to student development, and grow in my own leadership and collaboration skills. So, all in all, it’s a pretty fantastic deal.
Another thing I’ve been reflecting on since returning here is the notion of home. When I think of home, I usually think of where my families are, or where I travel to during breaks and holidays. But I also use “home” (as many of us do) when I’m just referring to my apartment or where I happen to be staying at the time. And as soon as I entered my apartment (or my “cave”) after almost two months away, a huge sense of relief and comfort came over me. It was clean, it was beautiful, and it was homey.
And as I joined my colleagues for training the next morning, invited my friend for a visit over the weekend, and spent quality time with new colleagues and friends, I realized that Seattle and Seattle University are my homes. I am grateful for the gift and feeling of home.
It’s good to be back.
