A few weeks ago, I went to Six Flags and a few of my fellow interns convinced me to go onto the Superman: Tower of Power ride which looking back is analogous to my summer at Project Transformation. Before I got onto the ride, I had concerns about whether it would be a good idea or not for me to do this. I wasn't sure if it was the best use of my time as there were so many other rides I might have liked better or maybe would have been a better fit for me. Although I had these fears, I still moved forward in line knowing deep down that I should do it. Instead of starting out slow, the ride almost immediately blasts you 300 feet into the air. This shocking push was reminiscent of the first weeks of PT where I along with the other interns were bombarded with 12 hour days of training where we learned everything from how to complete component sheets to how to treat spiders up children's noses.
Although my eyes were closed out of fear during the ascent, once we reached the stop and paused, I could see the beauty of Dallas and Fort Worth like I've never seen before. That great feeling I experienced at the top of the Superman ride I felt so many times during the summer. Whether it was trash can pranks, interpretive dancing to Colors of the Wind, membership in the Finer Things Club, the sleepover with the St. Mark's Sharks ("THIS IS IT!"), the PB&J clique at Adventure Week, or just the special moments I experienced everyday at Chapel Hill with the best team ever was what made this summer so great.
After you go through a couple of free falls, you realize that the ride is about to be finished a lot sooner than you think it should be. You realize that although the beginning seemed so long, the ride was brief. When you get off, you look up and realize where you were those past few minutes and understand for the first time the heights you achieved. Project Transformation was not without its free falls, but looking back it was such a spectacular summer that stretched me in so many ways and allowed me to reach new heights.
Lots of changes happened this summer that reminded me that even though I was in the PT bubble, life was still going on elsewhere in the world. Whether it be a pastor transition, TV shows ending, a high school getting demolished, or new relationships formed, I realize that these are but the first of many changes that will happen in the upcoming year as I enter into my last year of college.
-Jeremy Ryan Page
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