Letting go of my worry

As a high school senior, I am often stressed by the prospect of what I will do with the rest of my life. The questions of my future eat away at me constantly: what college will I go to? What will I study? What will my career be? These unanswered questions all place a lot of pressure on me.

However, at an international meeting for young people following Genfest, having met so many wonderful happy people who are living various vocations, I came to a profound understanding: no matter what I do, where I go, whatever happens in my life, as long as I live a life of service and love, I will be happy. So whether I work in a construction company, become a priest or own a multibillion-dollar company — if I live the spirituality of unity, it doesn’t matter. At the end of my life, I will be happy with how I’ve lived. And so this has allowed me to let go of my worry and just let God take me where he chooses.

Corbin Cali, Texas

Love knows no barriers

Among these experiences shared at the Genfest, one that was very profound for me was of a young person from Egypt. In the span of six years, he had been through so much suffering — first the death of his mum and then his sister, and shortly afterwards he himself was diagnosed with the same disease. I wanted to go and find him, to tell him “thank you” and that he wouldn’t have to suffer alone, that we would live this together. It was the end of the programme, and everyone was leaving to start the march for the flash mob, so it would have been a miracle to find him. God must have arranged it, however, because two minutes after exiting the stadium I saw him! We started talking and laughing, and he looked at me, and with this big, sincere smile said: “God loves us very much.” It was such a strong moment of God that I don’t have words to describe it. We promised each other that we would pray for one another. It was a lived “Let’s Bridge” experience because we probably will never see each other again, but the connection is there and we will continue to pray for the other.

Jessica Berends, Michigan