Just for fun, I started calculating some of the statistics I’ve compiled over the past four years. Maybe it’s the sports writer in me coming out.
It’s fun to celebrate, but it’s also important to recognize the cost and sacrifice of an achievement. Every good thing we accomplish in this life comes with some obvious reward, but also a tradeoff. I’m grateful the little sacrifices (at times, they felt like big ones!) have led to an awesome journey.
Of course, some things you can’t keep “stats” on. The dividend of creating some of the dearest, most important friends of my life is incalculable. The spiritual growth I experienced can’t be measured. The support I had from so many friends and family is exponential. But also the moments and relationships I missed out on to concentrate on my goals have added up, too
But here is a more tangible view of the last four years:
4 – number of years it took me to achieve a Master of Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary
84 – number of credit hours to achieve that degree at MTS
17 – number of professors I studied under
3 – number of countries I visited while attending classes (the U.S., Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)
110 – estimated number of round trips from Paducah to Memphis in a span of four years
900 – estimated hours spent commuting to and from classes
45,000 – estimated number of miles driven commuting to school
16 – number of times my oil was changed
1 – set of tires I wore out
7 – number of different households who at some point in four years hosted me on my trips and travels to Memphis
50 – average cost in dollars per trip for fuel, food, snacks, and forgotten essentials
8 – number of different Subway locations across two states visited for meals
1 – regrettable number of stops at McDonald’s in four years for food (yuck)
1 – number of cats I started seminary with
2 – number of cats I ended seminary with
67 – estimated number of times I cried my final semester of classes
1- number of times I was pulled over for speeding
0 – number of times I talked my way out of a ticket
~ Dusty