Hello, this is my first blog post, so bear with me. I recently finished high school and honestly did not think I would make it this far, but somehow, by the grace of God, I did. To complete high school, instead of taking a final exam, I had to write a ten- to twenty-page thesis on any topic, and the topic I chose was Authentic Manhood in Western Civilization. It was quite the journey, and as far as I can tell, it was the most challenging assignment I have ever had to do. What made it so difficult was not the research or the writing but something way more personal. A lot of people already know this, and yet it is still hard to write the actual words, but my family and I, suffered an immense loss just 4 months ago. My youngest brother, Levi, who was just three years old, was diagnosed with an brain tumor at the beginning of December. It was stage 4 glioblastoma, and it was aggressive and inoperable due to the tumor being in his brainstem. In just three months, the cancer took his precious life on the 14th of February. My family is stricken with immense grief, sorrow, and pain and will be for a long time. It was the most brutal hit I had ever taken in my life, and I found myself in a difficult place with finishing high school and grieving my brother. Honestly, the thought of completing my senior thesis seemed so daunting and did not sit well with me in my grief. But, with the minute motivation I had left and a lot of support, I finished my thesis. Every moment of that process was challenging and tiresome, and I had second thoughts every day. Finally, on May 3rd, I presented my thesis to three judges who asked me a variety of questions about my thoughts and opinions on the topic, and to be honest, I’m pretty pleased with how well I did. On the same day that I defended my thesis, I attended my last prom, which was a welcome respite after my grueling thesis defense. Then, on May 10th, I put on my cap and gown and, to sum it all up, moved my tassel to the other side, along with my classmates, to signify that my high school career is complete.
As you can see, I have experienced a whirlwind of emotions lately, along with my family. I am currently planning my graduation party, working at a golf course and country club, and preparing for my upcoming 9-month gap year mission trip. God has guided me, held me, and carried me this far, and I look forward to serving others and deepening my faith on this trip.
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