Walking on the Grass

Don’t walk on the steps of the Main Building. Don’t walk on the grass on God Quad. These are probably the first rules that every freshman is taught at Notre Dame. While, I’ve never dared touch the steps of the Main Building (that is serious taboo), I’ve have never been good about staying off the grass.

To be technical, it all started the first week of freshman year when I accidentally tripped off path and made contact with the grass on God Quad. After that, I realized that I was likely cursed already so it didn’t matter anyway if I touched it again. Since that moment, I’ve never been afraid to walk on the grass. If I see a friend across the quad, I don’t mind dashing across the lawn to say hi to them. If walking on the grass means a better dome picture, you bet I’m there. Walking off the path isn’t something that’s intimidated me.

I love Notre Dame- but we do have a lot of well-worn paths

Notre Dame is made up of lots of paths. Not just the ones that crisscross quads- but ones that lead in distinct directions, lead to futures that are pre-made at Notre Dame. Year after year Notre Dame students follow the same steps, walk down the same path, to the same future. There is nothing wrong with sticking to these paths. There is safety and community that come following the crowd. At the end of the well-worn path awaits an award of a secure future.

As a freshman, a professor said to me, “Find out what everyone else is doing and do the opposite.” This phrase has guided me through a lot of my decisions at Notre Dame. It helped me find the courage to sign up for a brand new study abroad program in Paris, while the typical path for a French major led to Angers. While there were definitely trials being part of a new program, finding my way in a big city was one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career.

Living in Paris was one of my favorite unexpected paths

There were other times, several of them, where God veered me off the path I was on. On my old blog, I wrote in detail of the times I didn’t get the internship I dreamed about or was waitlisted for post-graduate programs I had my heart set on. These moments have been some of the hardest moments of college. I wanted to walk on the path with “everyone else.” I wanted to follow the well-worn path. But God had other plans. I have challenged myself to have complete trust in God, despite being uncertain what new path God has planned for me.

           

A few weeks back I was walking across God Quad on my way to Washington Hall for my last ever dance recital. As I walked, I watched as a large group of people streamed out of the Basilica and toward the dining hall. After a moment I put it together, it was new group of ACE teachers on their introduction retreat. I felt a weird feeling in my stomach. That had been the path I thought I was on for so long. The well-worn one that I thought I was following. Yet here I was, walking in a different direction.

This is a picture of a path that I took in Ireland- seems fitting?

The weird feeling in my stomach turned into warmth as I thought about the fact that my path was taking me somewhere so COOL. I was going back to Ireland, a country I loved. I was going to be doing work that fit me so perfectly. I was going to get a chance to travel, meet new people, and learn about new traditions. I was going to grow into myself in new ways. I felt no regrets in that moment, only exhilaration for future that awaited me down my own path. This path wasn’t the one I expected myself to be taking, but it felt so entirely right.

I’m quite sure that I’m still being called to teach and I’m looking forward to seeing how God will make that happen. But I also am now resigned to be open to whatever other paths God might have in store in for me. I’m excited for wherever I end up wandering. That is what this whole blog will be about- about not being afraid to walk on the grass. It’s about starting a new journey with my eyes wide open. It’s about taking advantage of every moment of my new adventures. It’s about wandering in wonder. Welcome.