31 March 2015.
le 31 mars 2015.
２０１５年３月３１日（火）。
May I always remember today as the day I found out that I was invited to join The Phi Beta Kappa Society.
That's right, I GOT PHI BETA KAPPA! Glory be to God in all things!
I was at my desk working on a final project proposal for one of my classes when I looked down and saw a new email notification on my phone. Swipe to unlock, tap Gmail, and there it was. In all its simple, unassuming, out-of-the-blue, good news glory.
I am consciously and purposefully choosing to let myself rejoice in this. Not just to be happy, but to be overjoyed and unfathomably grateful. My heart is about to burst! But as with most good things that happen to me (especially when they happen unexpectedly), I am not entirely sure that I'm deserving. When I first read it there was a split second where I feared that this was an early April Fool's joke, or that they'd sent the email to the wrong person.
Let me try to explain. This fraternity/academic honor society was established in December 1776. Which means this organization is as old as the United States of America itself. My people were slaves when this organization started, you hear? My people were not even legally recognized as people when Phi Beta Kappa was founded! My people weren't even allowed to read, much less have a chance to step foot inside the educational institutions that housed ΦΒΚ chapters. And now, here I am, little ol' me.... I am weeping with gratitude. So yeah, I'm in shock, and part of me feels like this is too high an honor for me. Especially since I never set out to get Phi Beta Kappa, just like I never set out to earn two bachelor's degrees in four years. But I also know that I've worked diligently as a student, and have received great help and encouragement from countless kindhearted souls. And I know that accepting this honor is a way for me to affirm for myself, You did it. And you did it very well. Furthermore, this is an opportunity and privilege that my ancestors did not have for the longest time, and so I accept this award knowing that there were folks in generations past who were out there fighting, and dying, and praying for moments like this to happen for young people of color like me.
Praise be to God. Lord, I know I haven't been the most faithful servant these past few months. I even started to feel like you'd passed me by. But even amidst my doubts, you've proven yet again that you are and will always be good beyond measure. May all praise, honor, and glory be to God.
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