Finding Ourselves

We’ve been watching The Last of Us, a post-apocalypse TV drama based on a video game series.  It stars Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie.  The world has been decimated by a fungus, and infected people have been turned into fungus carriers.  The show is compelling as Joel and Ellie attempt to cross the country, avoiding “infected” and raiders.  It’s hard for them to know the true intentions of the people they encounter.

There’s a period of calm while Joel and Ellie are riding a horse through Colorado.  Joel is explaining that before the fungus, he was a contractor.  He says, with a straight face, contractors were revered and beloved by everyone.  He explains the rules of football.  And, he says that colleges were places where young people would go to “party and find themselves.”

I’ve been thinking about how people “find” themselves.  It’s a strange verb because we’re obviously not physically lost.  At the same time, I don’t think we’re ever truly “found.”  Elizabeth is graduating from college in May, and I know she is not finished finding herself.  Caleb is heading off to college in the fall, I don’t think he intends to completely find himself while he’s there. 

Jesus wandered in the wilderness for 40 days.  I’m sure that was a period of self-refection and discovery, but so were the cleansing of temple and praying in the garden.  We’re all on a life-long journey to find out who we are.  It’s not something confined to the four years after high school.

Creator,

As we all work to find the best versions of ourselves, help us to look to you for guidance.  Let us remember that every day is an opportunity to strive to be new people can take comfort in your love.  Grace to us.  May we find it and may we give it away to others.

Amen

Michelle is a Program Analyst with the Department of Veterans Affairs. She’s a wife, mother, sister, and friend, a chocolate and coffee lover, reader of books, listener of podcasts, and a travel enthusiast.