A Feeling of Accomplishment

I know this sounds somewhat sad, but there's a certain feeling of accomplishment that goes along with not taking a nap for an entire day. Taking long naps in the middle of the day has become a bad habit of mine since I first started college, and it's probably the reason why I fell behind so drastically the first half of this quarter. But today was different. There was something about putting on a crisp dress shirt, pressed dress slacks, polished dress shoes, and a silk tie that motivated me to push myself to a higher level of efficiency than I'm used to here at school. It was almost as if I were back in the office, grinding away at a project despite an intense level of fatigue. The kicker is that I didn't even have a cup of coffee today. Don't get me wrong; at some points, I felt really tired. But for some reason, I was able to steam past the drooping eyelids and handle my business. I guess it's a double-edged sword; I know now what I'm capable of, and I'll be disappointed if I don't perform at such a high level on a more consistent basis. I guess that means I'm going business casual more often.
On another note, I was reading this book that I received from Professor Edwards yesterday called "Be Bold," which is published by the Echoing Green Foundation. The book talks about 12 Echoing Green Fellows who are creating positive change in the global community. After reading a couple of their struggles and "moments of obligation," as the book calls them, I found myself genuinely inspired, to say the least. So much so that thoughts of taking next year off to begin my own non-profit organization began to seem more like a plausible option. Right now I feel so motivated to go out into the field and do research on the prevailing problems of urban education and see where I can use my talents to improve the academic problems of central city youth. Next quarter, I'm going to seek out a mentor who will help me take the preliminary steps to starting up my company, or at least help me compile my research. I feel that this will ultimately be my calling; I just don't want to close any doors just yet though.
Everything has, in a way, fallen very neatly into place for me. After struggling for a little over two weeks, I've finally reached a stable state of tranquility and a peace of mind that I have not experienced since the quarter began. I am always aware of the fact that I am blessed in numerous ways, but I found that I don't truly appreciate these blessings until I overcome a period of high stress and increased anxiety. It's sad, but I guess it's true when they say that you don't truly miss something until it's gone (except that in my case, it's that I don't appreciate what I have until I have lost my opportunity to do so). I really didn't like the way I reacted to the stress because that's exactly what I did: react. Instead of being proactive and trying to find a solution, I found myself merely stressing out and reiterating how bad my situation was. Now I see that the only way to get through a problem is hold your head up high, brace yourself, and bust through it as best you can until you can't run any longer, because at the end of the day, "this too shall pass".
My life is in a perpetual state of grace. Who am I to complain about this charmed life of mine?
My beloved family, I will cherish your love and support; I hope to make you proud. My loyal friends, I will enjoy your company and individuality; I hope to make you laugh. My loving lady, I will cherish your devotion and understanding; I hope to make you happy. My generous Father, I will cherish Your benevolence and compassion; I hope to make myself worthy of Your Love. Amen.