PSL… for those who don’t know what that is, it’s a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks (duh, where you from?) Nah-just kidding. It’s actually more than that.
Project Searchlight is something that world racers attend to get poured into from alumni racers about all the re entry things.
It’s 5 days where the entire squad comes back together for the last time to process and debrief that last huge, yet very small chapter of their lives together and prepare for the next step.
But that’s not necessarily the point of this post. During this time I had one of the most terrible yet wonderful epiphanies.
This world race thing is something that I have dreamed of doing since I was 18. I’ve been fantasizing about this for 6 years thinking it was forever away and back then I always imagined it being a peak in my life.
But it hit me. One of my biggest dreams became a reality. It became my life. It happened and it was very much real, although at this point it seems just like the kind of dream I woke up from wondering if it actually happened.
But now, that reality has turned into an experience and soon it’ll be a memory.
Something I longed for and prepared for and prayed about is, well, it’s over. It was one of those chapters that you can’t stop reading. The one in the romantic novel that the two love birds finally confess their feelings for each other after the built up tension and anticipation. The one where you can’t stop smiling, or the one where your mouth drops. You know what I’m talking about.
Or even the episode of Friends when Rachel finally tells Ross how she feels and they kiss. Or The Office when Jim proposes to Pam. The moment you know is coming and are so excited for. And then it finally happens.
But, the novel goes on and there’s more to the story of course. I must move onto my next chapter. And of course you think, “how can it get better than this?”
The next episode, the next chapter has to be better.
And it is. It is better. This isn’t it. This is only the beginning.
Because like those episodes and chapters that make you jump up and cheer on the protagonist, those big moments are the start of a new beginning.
As terrible as that epiphany was, realizing that this chapter is over, it was actually a really beautiful moment. Yes, the last page to that chapter just flipped and the door is closed. But that just leads to another chapter.
Because when we have dreams, we work really hard to achieve those dreams. And wouldn’t it suck if our lives consisted of one dream only and once we achieved it that was it?
But no! We get to create more dreams. We get to start towards something else. We get to chase new things! And that is seriously so cool. We have freedom and creativity.
Some dreams are easier to accomplish. Some dreams take a lifetime to achieve.
Something The Lord said the other night was “Ali, I do make things come full circle. I do keep my promises. So imagine everything that will come full circle if you don’t give up on chasing these things.”
The world race wasn’t the peak of my life. It wasn’t the best year of my life. It was a launch pad. The Lord has given me new dreams to chase. And I will. I’m starting to chase them thanks to a lot of advice and helpful things I’ve received at Project searchlight.
So now, I officially say that this World Race door is closed. Project searchlight was closure. Does that mean that it didn’t matter or that I won’t still cherish those memories? No. I will always cherish those memories. It simply means I have to move on and be open to what’s next.
(Wow, this cool personal realization seems a lot more obvious once it’s is written out).
