A New Journey

So, my friends, here we are again. Back to the good old days of blogging. I hope you will forgive my absence and give me one more try. For you see, I now have a more specific purpose for blogging. In a few weeks, I am going on my first college visit. I'm going to Northwestern University, and I couldn't be more excited. I'm also starting my junior year of high school in a few months, which, in my eyes, is the year where it all gets serious (not that I haven't been working hard up to this point, of course). I will be looking for colleges, preparing for my ACTs, and taking almost all honors classes. On top of all that, next month I'll be driving and in November I'm turning 17... it's crazy how quickly I'm growing up! I am highly aware of how fast time flies by, and I feel a sudden urge to document my life. So yes, this will be similar to my old blogs. But now I have a focus; I specifically want to chronicle my journey through college visits, school experiences, and major life changes. As Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." I don't want you, my loving family, to miss out on a single thing.

Now, I need to address two things.

First, my muse. I have to say that I was going to start writing in a private journal to document these next few months, years, whatever. But what good is that? I wouldn't keep up with it, and nobody else could read it. Well, just as all these thoughts of growing up were really starting to take up all the extra space in my head (which is quite a lot, now that school is over) I read my cousin Marianne's blog. Particularly her literature blog. And goodness, was I impressed! She writes beautifully. As soon as I read her blogs, I knew what I had to do. I had to start blogging for myself (again).

And lastly, I must explain the title of this blog. The Narrow Gate is derived from scripture, Matthew 7: 13-14:

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few that find it."

I love that. It really speaks to me. Ever since I read this in the Bible, I have tried to live by it. And I think it makes perfect sense for this blog. You see, this blog is all about me growing up and finding my place in the world. I am constantly thinking about college and jobs, but more than anything, my goal is to live like Jesus and do God's will. I know He will lead me in the right direction, and I am willing to take the narrow gate in order to do my Christian duty above all else. In doing this, I know I can count myself as part of the few who find life.