"So what's your 'thing'?"

I know we have all been asked this question. You meet new people, you ask the get-to-know-you questions: What's your major? Where are you from? What do you like to do?  But this one: "What's your thing?" I mean, it's a really daunting question. "I can only pick one thing?? But there are so many!" It's especially intimidating here in Provo. Here I'm surrounded by spectacular people with spectacular talent. People's "things" are photography, music, art, running, cinematography, writing, travelling, basketball, etc...and when I say it's their thing, I'm talking about seriously talented people. Beautiful photos, masters at multiple instruments, young Picassos and Michelangelos, marathon runners, the future JK Rowlings and all-stars. Everyone here seems to be amazing at their "thing". They love it, they live for it. 

What about mine? Honestly, I'm not spectacular. I'm not exceptionally talented. I don't have any big "thing" that I excel at and can assuredly call mine. 

Don't get me wrong. I think I'm perfectly average and adequate at a few things. I can play piano, but I'm not half as good as the majority of the BYU population. I can stumble around a guitar--I can strum a few songs. I can do crafts...from Pinterest. I can run semi-long distances and be completely exhausted afterward. I can play sports. I can read.

But again. I'm not great at any one of these. I've basically mastered the bare minimum. I am capable of these things, and I enjoy them--even love most of them: I love music (listening to it, dancing to it, singing, playing); I love reading; I love travelling; I love sports. But are they my thing? Can I claim them as my identity? I don't think I can. At least not yet.

The thing is, I admire my peers immensely. They all have their lives together! They know where they're going, how they're going to get there, and they have back up plans B-Z. I don't even have a plan A! 

My life is a puzzle and I just opened the box. I haven't made my border yet. Heck, I haven't even flipped all of the pieces to the right side! Today I was working on an assignment where I had to recreate something using spreadsheets. Seems simple, right? Yeah...no. Come to find out, I have never in my life learned how to navigate spreadsheets. To make matters worse, I had to complete it on a Mac. I think the extent of my mac knowledge is getting to Hulu and Facebook on my cousin Hannah's computer (obviously the most important stuff to know anyway). How can anyone expect me to have my life together when I can't operate spreadsheets? (And if we're being completely honest here, I also spilled water down my shirt today...using a water bottle. And I stubbed my toes three times in a row on the same ridge in our apartment in the span of 15 minutes. Life put together?) I left the lab feeling defeated and pondering this question. But I think I know the answer.

My thing is discovering my thing, and I'm having a blast! I'm studying to be an elementary school teacher and I could not be more excited to have my own classroom. I'm hanging out with friends. I'm keeping my hair purple--at least for now. I'm meeting new people and learning new things. I'm goofing off. I'm trying new things. I'm dancing like nobody is watching. I'm decorating our cute new apartment. I'm singing like nobody can hear. I'm trying to push myself. I'm keeping myself organized. I'm laughing often and smiling even more. I'm working on that puzzle that is my life. I'm flipping over each little piece of that puzzle and marveling at the beauty and mystery that is this life my Heavenly Father has blessed me with.