Wednesday, August 24, 2011

New Setting, NOT a New Character


My daughter is unpacked and getting settled in at VA Tech. All the adjustments are making things difficult for her. I’ve been thinking and praying of advice I can give her to help with the transition.

As I thought through the situation I realized that she was trying to figure out who she was in this new place and all these changes were causing her to feel anxious. I started thinking about how as a 5th grade teacher I teach my students to analyze books. We look at the characters, setting, plot, etc. I saw that Bekah was trying to create a new character in her new setting, when in actuality, she already is confident about who she is. She is a daughter of God and a daughter of Todd and Michele Watkins, among other parts of her identity. She knows what her values are and what she believes.

She is actually the same character or the same person she was, and the only thing that has changed is her setting. Instead of being at home with family and friends close by for support, she is now a little further away in a new place, but she does not need to worry about trying to figure out who she is. She knows that already. She needs to focus on how this character or person, Bekah, acts and is in this new setting. She will see, hear, learn and experience many new things but she knows who she is and is confident of her values and can carry that confidence into her new setting.


The same applies to people moving or going to a new school, new grade, or any new situation. Be confident in who you are. Try the new experiences as you, and add parts that feel right, like you want them to be a part of who you are.

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