It’s Day 20 of the 31 Days in the Life of a TCK series! Welcome! You can find more info on the series here. Don’t forget to subscribe!
Today you can read the second part of a series done by Wera.
We have known each other for years through the TCK camps we attended together. But only recently we talked and found this strange desire of rest inside of us. Are we allowed to rest or do we seem to have this bug inside of us that just makes us move all the time?
I am very happy that Wera shares her thoughts here with us! Here’s Part 1, in case you missed it!
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Of course I know that part of that longing can never be satisfied by any earthly thing or person, and that there is a spiritual dimension to rest which is not dependent on life circumstances.
It is an intrinsic part of the human experience to carry a longing inside of us that we cannot quite define and that will never be fulfilled, but that nevertheless keeps driving us to look for something else in life – and I think TCKs feels this more acutely.
And yet my (albeit limited) experience of living in the same place for a bit longer has also taught me that there is a certain rest that comes with knowing your way around a place, knowing how people tick, and knowing who you are in relation to that particular place. And there is even more rest in deep friendships in which we are intimately known, and feel safe, understood and loved.
But it takes time for this kind of intimacy and trust to grow.
And yes, in the time that it takes to build strong relationships, routine also settles in and life can get dry and repetitive, and with that come the itchy feet.
And yet there is something very beautiful in connecting more deeply with a place and its people over a longer period of time, and although it sometimes sucks, it’s an experience that’s worth sticking around for.
I’ve noticed that for me, less adventure and less change often seem to bring more rest for my soul and personal growth of a different type – the type that strengthens my roots rather than my wings.
And the older I get, the more my soul seems to long for rest over adventure.
At the moment I oscillate between feeling thirsty for adventure and full of excitement and energy for all the things I could do with my life now that I’ve finished university, and between feeling overwhelmed at the vastness of options in front of me and apprehensive about a lack of stability in the next few years.
Most people at my stage in life have at least some basic variables in place (they tend to have some fairly set ideas about where to live, who with, and/or what they want to do), but I seem to lack any sort of parameters in my life.
And whilst part of me is excited and grateful to be so free and independent and not tied to any particular place, person or profession, part of me is also envious of friends who are already much more settled or heading in a clear direction in life.
I’m beginning to accept that my attitude towards moving has become more complex and somewhat paradoxical, and that it’s okay to be confused about what I want.
We’ll see which of these contrasting feelings and desires end up dominating my life.
But for now, I’m going to acknowledge, and welcome, the fact that alongside my continuous longing for change and adventure, a new longing for rest and stability has also crept up – and it seems to be growing.
How do you deal with your feeling of restlessness? Is the strange desire for rest familiar to you?
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That is a great addition-thank you! We do need something to look forward to, but also enjoy the present at times. Thanks for coming by!
Yes, this sounds like a challenge! I hope you see many nice new things in your surroundings and have some surprises along the way. 🙂
Yes, comparing yourself to others is often not the best way…Sometimes the Lord's timing is not like ours. Am in such a phase at the moment and the uncertainty is difficult. Hope you still have peace and find encouragement along the way, Jen!
Thanks, Tara!
That's a good compromise (even though it can increase the longing to experience it yourself)! Thanks for visiting!
Great post! I think that restlessness produces anticipation. When we have nothing to look forward to, we can lose hope. Keep on writing and traveling!
As a military wife, I am currently living far away from home…my spirit longs for the comfort that is home. Knowing the people, knowing the street names, knowing which places are sketchy, you know. The busyness of living in an unfamiliar place is exhausting for me…but definitely praying to see it as an adventure!
I feel you, Katha! Though I'm a little more “settled” than I was a year ago, I still feel “in transition”. I still am waiting for the Lord to show me where He wants me to settle. And sometimes? It's hard. Especially seeing friends who seem to have it all together. But…and it's a big BUT…I'm okay with it. It's where God needs me to be, and it's His plan.
Great post!
This sounds exactly like me! I do long for adventure, yet I also long for rest. I usually satisfy my thirst for adventure by reading a good book. 🙂