The story of us

Posted by admin on Mar 25, 2009 in Featured Articles | 0 comments

Benjamin Brook : I originally applied to four universities: McGill, Princeton, University of Toronto and TWU (my backup choice). McGill didn’t like my audition, Princeton turned down my application after asking me to apply because of my SAT scores, and U of T had an odd bureaucratic foul-up and never finished processing my application. By the time I found out about the U of T mix-up, TWU had already offered me scholarships, so I took the hint and came here. It’s been the best four years of my life – God has grown me in wonderful ways, and TWU has been a great place for me.

Jessie Legaree: I’m Scottish, but loathe haggis. I love floss, but not the dentist’s. I burn soup, but hate incompetence. I love the internal workings of the government, but not of the human body. I love debating, yet lack patience. I’m sarcastic, yet serious. I’m passionate, yet relaxed. I am a realist with ideals. I’m a leader who seeks to serve. I demand justice and yet sin. I’m created perfect and yet a work in progress. I’m independent yet derive purpose externally. I know there is a God, because I’m a walking absurdity and only through Him do I make sense.

Jenn Dagg: Home does not have a nostalgic meaning attached to my life. I grew up in Edmonton and moved to Vancouver during my pre-adolescent years. My life is always in motion. While some people view home as a place of refuge, I see it as a place with chains, holding us back from our true potential. It is time to discover the world and break free from the restraint of home. No matter where I am, I’ll view home as the people I am with. The past twenty years, this haven has been my family. With university ending, this free bird is leaving the nest only to discover the world, beyond the intertwined branches and twigs, I’ve known as home for so long. Farewell home, until we meet again.

Jonathan Pankratz: I was at the walnut grove pool. I dove down to the bottom to walk around. I was running out of air so I launched off the bottom. To my surprise my head connected with the floating fiberglass walkway that crosses the pool . I was dazed for a moment as I felt the gash that had appeared on my head. Then it occurred to me I still needed air. I pulled myself out of the water. Blood began running down my face and within seconds a lifeguard was blowing a whistle in my ear telling me to stay calm.

Curtis Thomas: When I came to Trinity I wanted to be a science teacher who defended creationism at a public high school. Now I don’t like science, I don’t want to teach and I believe in evolution… Trinity changed a few things…

Pia Antturi: Breathe. Sometimes I need that reminder. Sometimes I ignore it and a familiar tightness builds in my chest as I frantically try to keep a hold on all the marionette strings pulling me in a thousand directions. Stress, anxiety, fear of failure – they all keep me tied in place while the world around me expands into a frightening cacophony of complications and things to do.

Just breathe. I like to walk when it gets like this. Sometimes I will stop and watch my rippled reflection in the pond, while the velvet wind and misting rain breathe new life into me. It is there that I remember life is about more than deadlines and commitments and I can just be. There is beauty in the simplicity of stillness and being. I take in a deep breath.

James Huang: I used to be a heavy gamer. I came to Trinity hoping to build on my relationship with God, finally “do” something with my life, and to forget things.
Trinity’s good; There have been tough times, especially the decisions that led to changing majors from music to sociology.
My parents always wanted me to go to University, but I kind of fell to all the pressure and I didn’t feel like I could make it there.
But, I am here now, Trinity’s like a whole new second chance at life for me.

Jonathan Fehr: Hope, Loss, and Peace.
This summer my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced. While it slowly ate away at his life, I remained hopeful. The hospital was filled with tears, but I believed God would heal him. He got worse. I stayed up with him all night, watching over his unconscious body. I prayed. He died that morning. I remember the crowd gathered for his funeral. With my guitar, I sang my song as much for them as for myself: “Jesus Knows our Pain.” I cried. Now grandpa was at peace. Seven months later, so am I.

Todd Foley: The biggest lesson from my four years is the necessity of authenticity. I came to TWU believing my story was my own. I kept to myself and kept others out. When I finally let people in, I saw God’s purpose in my struggles. Walking beside others gave meaning to my story. These lyrics express it better: “If you don’t see the real me, you won’t see what mercy’s done / If you don’t see my weakness, you won’t see what love has won.” Tell your story, because it’s hard to negate honest testimony.

Nicole Douglas : When Matt and I started dating we’d see who loved each other more. (Lame, I know.) He knew I adored Starbucks Caramel Machiatto and bought it for me as proof that he loved me more. He teased me saying, “My girlfriend hates me!” I surprised him soon enough. Knowing he’s shy around strangers, I walked towards a man saying: “I love my boyfriend with all my heart and I’m going to marry him one day!” Matt’s jaw dropped with embarrassment. The man smiled and told Matt I was a keeper. Today we don’t compete for love or talk to creepy strangers.

Marianne Borreta:
5:45 a.m. alarm goes off. “Buzz, buzzz…”
It’s time to wake up.
Get up! You will wake up right now. You will not hit that snooze button, just to fall away into a few more blissful minutes of sleep.
5:45:15. “Buzz, buzz, buzzzzz.”
I said, get up! You will reluctantly kick those blankets off your body and welcome the cold morning air that will kiss the surface of your skin. You will sit up on your bed and be tempted to once again feel the warmth of your blankets against your skin.
5:45:25. “Buzzz, buzz, buzzzz.”
When you’ve gotten all of your belongings in your arms, you will be sure to grip them tight, to prevent anything from falling down to keep your roommate from waking up. The morning air will be as cold as ever against your body and you will feel stupid forever bringing shorts to Canada.
5:45:30. “Buzz, buzz, bu”… SNOOZE.

Matt Braun: My experience thus far can be summed up as disillusion, an area which negativity and frustration fall into comfortably, leaving an acidic taste in my mouth and attitude towards this place. As a Christian turned not I have been peppered with allusions and linkages to God and his grace from students representing all elements of campus, but when put into practice the action simply isn’t there. I’m being pushed and am too tired to offer resistance and as a result I’ve become distanced and numb. I’m too far out, too stagnant, and too tired to come back.