As you move into a new semester, I encourage you to reflect on last year, with its hardships, hopes, sorrows and joys. Take hold of joy. Grasp tightly the seeds of intentionality and scatter them across your path, impacting the people around you and the places you go. You will soon see these seeds take root and blossom fresh joy for yourself and others to behold.
At this midway point of the school year, you may be feeling weary. You may be struggling to find motivation to continue diligently in your studies. You may be suffering in some of your friendships. But I want to assure you, friend, that you are not alone. Time sometimes feels as if it is dragging, and friendships can feel as if they are staying the same or growing distant. You don’t know what the next few months will hold. Still, there is a Hope to hold onto when these winter days feel bleak and cold. God always draws near to us, especially when we seek Him.
When we feel our motivation is draining, not just in academics, but in daily living, intentionally leaning into the moments that make up your day can be powerfully healing. Being curious and present in all our endeavors is a wise and beautiful way to live.
This could look like initiating a conversation with a friend who needs encouragement, or setting aside time to talk with the professors who support and care about you. It could mean stepping away from your work, leaving your desk for some time, and taking a walk to clear your head from your to-do lists and stresses. There are infinite ways to live intentionally.
Put this into practice by smiling at a friend or someone you don’t know as you pass them on campus. You never know what people are going through, and something this small could brighten and bless their day. An encouraging note to a soul that brings joy to your life could mean the world to them. A question or compliment to someone in an elevator ride could change their day from feeling dark and sad to being a bit brighter and happier. Don’t underestimate what a small act of kindness can mean to someone. You never know how the seeds you scatter and plant may grow. You never know how deeply they could take root in someone’s soul, even in their life.
I invite you to think about a time when you were blessed with an act of kindness. I remember when I was having a hard day in high school, feeling unseen and invisible, and I opened my locker between classes and found a beautiful vase of yellow roses with a kind note from my friend. Seeing this made me smile and dissolved my worry for a moment, making way for gratitude in my heart. Last semester, there were times when I struggled with feelings of discouragement and loneliness. But those feelings faded as I came to my desk and discovered kind notes written from the girls on my hall. Our acts of kindness make an incredible impact on the hearts they touch.
So, dear reader, don’t take these precious seeds for granted. They are a gift. Plant them wisely, selflessly, and lovingly. I urge you, don’t leave these seeds of intentionality in your pockets, but plant them, and watch the beauty blossom before your eyes. You will not be disappointed with what you will start to see, with what you will soon find.
Live this spring semester intentionally. Live all your days on earth intentionally. With intention comes redemption.