The Good Life

If there has been a theme for my past six weeks in Romania, it would definitely be the pursuit of “the good life.” I came to Romania as a part of a long search for what could be called “shalom,” “abundant life” or “a life lived deeply.” For a myriad of reasons, I wanted to figure out what a life well-lived looked like. To my surprise, I found fellow searchers here in Romania among my classmates and the NHF staff.

In homework and conversations, “the good life” has come up again and again, almost to the point of becoming a joke. Many of the articles assigned in our Experiential Education class and lectures by Dana Bates and Kadie Becker have mentioned “the good life.” Here in Lupeni, I am finding “the good life” through the actions of Jesus-loving individuals who are his hands and feet. Through these individuals, I am also learning that good development asks the same questions I have been asking. John 10:10 has become a theme verse for the past 6 weeks. “I came that [you] may have life and have it abundantly.” The closer we draw the Jesus, the more life we have.

Each week, another layer has been added to my understanding of “the good life.” On our Retezat hiking trip, I was given life through experiencing so much beautiful nature, learning about Celtic spirituality, fellowship with new friends over campfires, and conversations while hiking. Some of those conversations and some after have demonstrated that “the good life” looks different for each person. Therefore, I have been on a mission lately to discover what “the good life” looks like for me. Reflecting on my Retezat experience for an Experiential Education paper, I found a fundamental part of what 'the good life” looks like in my life to be focusing on the smaller parts of a larger goal. In my reflection paper, I wrote the following: “I believe I am living a deep life now, but I want to live a deeper one. This will always be my goal, I think. I want to see the world in deep colors and with rich meaning everyday, but focus on small portions of accomplish-able goals.”

My definition of “the good life” is evolving and will look different when I travel home in December. For now, it is the pursuit of joy, health, community, adventure, and God. It is also acknowledging what is good in my life already and drawing those aspects out more. Last week, Kadie and Dana lectured on happiness. It was one of my favorite lectures so far this semester. What I took away that day was the importance of looking for happiness and joy in my life and fostering those aspects in my life. One way of doing this (while connecting to my resolutions from Retezat) has been making small, everyday goals that will promote happiness and shalom in my life, and keeping myself accountable to accomplishing those goals by the “happiness club” a few students and I are forming. This experiment is still in the beginning stage, but I have found myself blessed by more joy already.

The “happiness project” is just one way I hope to live a better life here in Romania, but I think it will bleed into my overall health, my relationships here with the wonderful community I am a part of, the big and little adventures of living in Romania, and my relationship with my maker. Here's to the pursuit of “the good life” and more adventures too!