Ben's Journal « First-Year Student Journals

Why I'm Going to be a Monk

November 21, 2005 | 5 comments

I like to record random moments for nostalgia sake, so here goes my rendition of right now. Here in crowded Los Angeles, its about 90 degrees today. Im sitting here with In Love With the 80s by Relient K playing on my computer. Im working on a few movie ideas, and I need to make an appointment with an academic advisor to plan out my second semester. I turned 18 last Sunday, and I just had a really nice shower.

Its November right now. I love November. In fact I love fall and winter very much. This is especially true back where I live in New England. Theres something indescribably peaceful about life at this time of year back home, and I miss it! I love running in the snowy woods.

Cross-country season has been over for about two weeks now, so Ive been taking a break from exercising and have started eating way more than I normally do, just to see if its possible for me to gain lots of weight. No luck. Oh well. I start training for track season tomorrow!

So the fall GYRAD (Get Your Roommate A Date) season is just now drawing to a close. Every floor has about one per semester, though the really peppy floors like to cram in two if they can. I recently had one of the most complex, annoying, and frustrating GYRAD adventures imaginable. Im probably the only one on campus who hates GYRADs now. This situation involved several Alpha girls and several different GYRADs. Seriously, this story would make a somewhat interesting movie, and I like to write movies (hint). My floor, The Underground, had a pretty good date, though. We went kayaking through the street canals of Naples (I think thats what it was called) and then we had an Italian dinner in this park by a picturesque lake. After that, we got gelato and headed back to Biola, though my roommate almost got us killed a few times. But for the most part, the GYRAD is a fun event.

Now, I know you might still be curious about the title of this entry. Well, since Ive been here, Ive discovered the little prayer chapel by the library is one of the most amazing places in existence. Until now, I usually did my devotions in my room or something. Id never considered going into a sanctuary (which would involve driving to the church) to spend time alone with God before. But, after all, it is the house of the Lord. The chapel is really small, intensely quiet, and looks like it belongs deep in the woods in a German forest. In the time that Ive taken in there to listen, Ive been convicted and affirmed countless times, and it leaves me more satisfied and full of joy than anything else.

Thats why being a monk would be perfect for me. I would live in a German forest in the presence of God all day. I get to spend all sorts of time with Him, serve Him however Im supposed to, and I wont have to worry about girls! Theyre confusing anyway. I think living in a monkery (yeah, thats what I call it) would be cool, and hey, Id get to shave my head and wear a cool robe.

Comments

Jamie said... on Jan 4, 2006

Hey! Sounds like tons of sweet fun out there at Biola. I'm a high school sophomore, aspiring to go to Biola, major in film, and be becoming a director, Lord willing. So I just thought I'd post and ask you if you have any advice for eventually making it to Biola's film school. It sounds so awsome and faith-strengthening! Do you get to take some fun film classes the first year? thanks, and have fun!

Rachelle-Kitty said... on Jan 5, 2006

I don't know if my first comment ever showed up (I applied for FTR screenwriting fall '06). Is GYRAD a West Coast thing? Where I come from, they have something like it but it's called by a different name. But Christian colleges can be live-in soap operas so yeah, I think it WOULD make a good movie.

Benjamin Engelbach said... on Jan 15, 2006

Hey Jamie,
I think it's important to remember that getting into the film school isn't the huge gargantuan achievement that people think it is. There are people here who have only made one movie in their lives, but everyone is enthusiastic about it. I didn't really start making movies a lot until I was a sophomore, so you've got time. Get out there and shoot some stuff, and have fun! And keep track of what you do so you can add it to your portfolio list!

Benjamin Engelbach said... on Jan 15, 2006

I think GYRADS are a West Coast thing... I had definitely never heard of them before! But I'm actually trying to work the crazy story into a script that I am writing now...muaha

Sister Meggy said... on Jan 25, 2006

Man, you are so lucky. I wish I had a quiet little chapel I could pray in. That's one good thing the medieval people came up with.

Sounds like you'll have a good time when you go back. :-)

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