As a little girl, I never wanted to be a warrior when I grew up. Never was real interested in the prospect of violence, to be honest. I opted more for (seemingly) peaceful things: an explorer (though I'm not sure where that came from because nature is definitely not my thing), a lawyer, a teacher. Looking back, I wish I would've been more interested in being a warrior. And by warrior, I mean mostly that in the metaphoric sense. In reality, I don't condone violence really, but the warrior spirit runs deep in my veins.
My family history is a little all over the place, but I know there's Scandinavian blood in me and Celtic blood in me. Both of these cultures fascinate me, with a bit of a heavier emphasis on the Celtic currently; nonetheless these peoples were both known for being warriors-- skilled warriors. Between the Scandinavians and the Celts, they fought battles reminiscent of the story Beowulf and battles like something you'd find straight out of Lord of the Rings (minus the orcs and dwarves and such). Even if all memory of these ancestors is lost, they were warriors and they played some part in who I am today. I'd be a different person in terms of genetics, but also in terms of identity should I not be some weird mix of many deep, rich, and at times war-like cultures and heritages. My last name, "Alexander" even has the warrior spirit embedded deep in it. It was derived from the Greek name Alexandros; from what I've read, in the vernacular it meant "defender of men" but literally means "repulser of the enemy." I can't think of any name I'd rather have... not necessarily that I prize repulsing people, but the fact that literally in the name I was given, I am called to be a defender of humanity. To fight for the good of those around me.
All of this to say, I'm realizing more and more each day that I'm a fighter. Sometimes people fall into viewing me as the sort of "delicate flower" type, but let me tell you, that could not be more wrong. I suppose I have moments of delicacy, but who doesn't? And so this is my challenge for senior year. To expel passivity from my life and fight for what I think is important. To push myself to be the best I can be-- academically, physically, spiritually, in relationships, and at work--but also to take time to realize that you have to choose your battles. I'm one who tends to push myself to the absolute limit, but no battle can be won solely on two hours of sleep and a boatload of coffee.
I sit here now, a product of one, where I came from, two, the last few months and the changes that have taken place in my life, and three, where I am going in the future. I'm stronger now than I ever was before. It's my last full year at Calvin with all the people I've come to love as a second family. So let's do this senior year thing. I'm ready for all the battles that are coming my way. And for the much anticipated time of peace and rest, though I never plan on losing the warrior spirit inside.
