When I first moved to Pittsburgh about a year ago now, I decided to create a blog about encounters, endeavors, and discoveries (sorry, not an "e" word) I made while here. Therefore, being in a new place, this blog got named "pursuing pittsburgh". Some really great blogs came out of this year, there is no question in my mind that I did a great job learning from the PULSE experience. The problem is... I didn't do a good job actually pursuing pittsburgh. This year at PULSE, I had this unconscious (sometimes conscious) assumption that I would move on after my year. So I made little attachment to things, left my options open, and didn't allow myself to dive in, to pursue where I was living.
But let me say something else-- it is hard to move. Though moving is an adventure and it's exciting to be in a new place, "owning" where you are is tough. It doesn't matter who you know, it doesn't matter how great the place is, it takes time to adjust.
Recently Chris, the director of the PULSE program, ran a session to some mennonites about owning where you are. Through the course of the material, we were challenged to dive deep and truly live wholeheartedly. I think I thought (this past year) I was giving a "right amount" of myself. "It's ok to not dive deep when you don't plan to stick around." "It's ok to not make those relationships because you're just going to end up leaving soon and you don't want to hurt them." "It's ok ..."
These rationals hurt myself more than anyone else. If you aren't willing to dive in, then you are only (here comes the pool analogy) going to be sitting on the side as everyone else has fun. God made us for community, and community is more than a network. Community is where you are. Community is investing for the long haul, even if you don't know how long you'll be around.
So it has taken me a while to adjust to Pittsburgh, but sometimes you need time to do just that. I don't regret this past year. I've had a year to learn the functions of the city, now I can start pursuing my investment into it. One thing I know now: I am sticking around.
Hey- if you haven't heard yet- I got a job! Praise the Lord! It has been a tough month, but God is faithful. Please pray as I begin working in August as a social worker at Health Care for the Homeless in Pittsburgh. I am very excited to continue working with this population here in Pitt!
And as always, thanks for reading.
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