August 15, 1995 – Tuesday – 6:05 p.m.

I am in my room in McAlister Hall.  RA training began today.  I have two hours of free time.

Yesterday, I watched a couple of movies, A River Runs Through It and Interview With the Vampire.  Both were great, but Interview was a little too evil for me.

I saw Lees-McRae Summer Theater’s production of The Secret Garden last night.  It was wonderful.  Afterwards I spent some time talking to Michelle in her apartment.  She is the Assistant RD.  She took Gayle’s place.  I also visited with Charlie for a while.

My transition has been made.

I found out yesterday that Mr. Martz moved to another school to teach.  I heard that from Derek, who still acts really weird around me.  But those are stories from long ago.

New stories are beginning…

July 26, 1995 – Wednesday – 4:07 p.m.

It is amazing to see how things are taking care of themselves.  I ran the back booth of the drive-thru today.  One customer gave me a weird look and said, “Aren’t you Jacob?”

Not recognizing who it was, I said, “yeah.”

“Don’t you remember me?”  She said with puppy dog eyes.

And then I knew.  It was Andrea.  Amazing!  How beautiful this girl was.  So young.  Yet, she had seen so much.

We asked each other a few questions, but overall, my elementary school sweetheart is okay.  Her kids were in the car with her.  She is a mom and she will be one forever.

It seems as if so many small stories are being wrapped up for me.  I believe God is showing me that my work in certain situations here is over.

Stories are closing because a bigger one is beginning.

For whatever it is worth Andrea…

You are special to me.

September 8, 1993 – Wednesday – 4:35 p.m.

Marcus’s brother told me today that in Greensboro a seven-year-old boy went into a public bathroom while his mom waited outside.  Some men in the bathroom attacked the little boy and cut off his penis and flushed it down the toilet.  The boy bled to death and died.

Did you hear what I just said?  I don’t understand.  What is out there in the world?  My parents have shielded me from the world for so long.  Christians are there in the world, but the wicked are out there too.  One day I must leave my home and go out into the world.

What an insane idea.  Who out there will love me?

But I must go; my destiny and my fate pull me there like a magnet.  The world is dark and terribly wild.  There are people out there who would kill a little child.

I miss the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.  I’m not sure why it isn’t on any more.  It always made me think about what is out there in the world.  I’ve experienced so little.  Months ago, when I stood on top of Pilot Mountain, I saw so much and I saw so far, but I still saw so little.

I used to live in Germany as a kid, but I hardly remember anything about it.  This world is so large, and I wish to see it all.  There is so much out there.

So many souls.

So many lives.

So many stories.

We must discover the world for ourself.