Painting a New Canvas

"Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it."

-Danny Kaye

Painting over the old design...

In the Fall of 2013, I started my Junior year at The Catholic University of America. While most of my classmates were figuring out their lives and making plans for the future, I hit a wall. After having spent two years studying history, doing curatorial and museum internships and preparing for a life working in as a museum educator, I discovered I was bored. My lessons confused me, my research overwhelmed me and my prospects discouraged me. This is not how anyone, especially someone halfway through college, wants to feel. Before this 'quarter life crisis' I had a plan. If you know me, you know I like having a plan, a roadmap to know where I am going and what to do next. For the first time in my life, however, I didn't know what came next.  Should I still look into grad school? Maybe I should look for jobs? Move home or stay in DC? I had no answers for my friends, family, teachers, but most of all I had no answers for myself. It was time to slow down, stop planning and just look around.  I had to embrace this time in my life where the future was unknown and the possibilities endless. It was a hard transition, but the more time I spent enjoying myself instead of planning life, the happier I was. Throughout my Junior and Senior years at CUA, I embraced all the experiences, people and opportunities that entered my life. As I walked across the Basilica steps on graduation day, I was warmed with the feeling that I was moving from one great life experience to another.  

"Whatever you do, do with joy and gratitude."

The idea of long term service was just that, an idea. I didn't consider it seriously until my mission trip to Kingston, Jamaica during the spring of Junior year. While serving the people of Kingston, I found a sense of joy and peace that had escaped me.  Whether  I was mopping the floors of Jacob's Well, teaching school children the Baby Shark song or reading to the elderly, I felt that my presence and service to others had a purpose. During our final mass in country, the priest told us all that "whatever you do, do with joy and gratitude." These words expressed my experiences from the past week and my year of the self discovery. A new adventure was beginning.

Faith and Service

I knew I wanted to do long term service. I wanted to help others in a direct and hands on way, but a year of service would also be challenging and introduce me to new life experiences. If I was going to undertake this journey, I knew that a spiritual component was key. Just like my CUA experience, the presence of a strong faith life would  help me grow and serve others better. Spirituality had to be a core value and because of this I found myself drawn to the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest. The core values of Spirituality, Community, Simple Living/Sustainability and Social and Ecological Justice captured my desire to serve and connect with my faith, global community and environment.

Join me on the trail and #explOREGON with me! 

On August 2nd, the adventure begins! I intend to take Oregon by storm, learn to love the rain and hug as many trees as possible! Follow my journey and learn about service in the Pacific Northwest. I'll be updating this blog with reflections, thoughts and pictures to let you be a part of my experiences!

Here's to the future and all good things to come! And remember, whatever you do, do with joy and gratitude!

Deirdre