Be Our Guest / Lexi Kilcoin

Seeking purpose as a young adult leads to a deep longing for God

As I walked across the stage with my college diploma in hand, marking the last 16 years of my life, there was a question mark the size of an elephant at the forefront of my mind.

To work your entire life to pass each grade, play sports and join clubs—all to eventually get that piece of paper—can really make a person stop and think. Since I’ve hit the one-year mark from reaching this milestone, I’ve been thinking a lot about purpose.

While we have been blessed to live in the 21st century amidst its good and not so good moments, our society comes with a lot of noise. It can be challenging as you mindlessly scroll through social media comparing yourself and your accomplishments to someone you barely know. As someone who often misplaces my worth in things like achievements and my future career, being present in the here and now can feel like climbing Mount Everest with no shoes on. Nearly impossible.

In the early months of my arrival to Indianapolis, I met an unusual 20-something year old. There, sitting on the chair in front of him, was a bulky, black box resembling something like a phone, but certainly not from this decade. As it turns out, it was an $80 flip phone with a T9 keyboard and limited app capabilities. After conversing with this man about his fascinating device, he told me he even refrained from getting e-mails sent to his phone! I was awestruck. To meet someone in their late 20s who did not conform to societal norms and was so unapologetically unafraid to live counterculturally was, to me, extraordinary.

While mulling this encounter over, I was reminded of a mission trip I went on during Lent to Chattanooga, Tenn., with other college students and FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionaries.

On day one, we pledged to turn our phones off for the entire week which, for most of us, was a hefty challenge. However, God had a much deeper plan for me in this season of fasting, prayer and almsgiving. I was presented with something I had not had in a very long time: the opportunity for silence.

In this silence, I found myself looking up and out instead of down and in. I was able to connect with my peers and build deeper relationships than I had in a long time. Without the noise of the outside world, I could feel the presence of God deep within my soul. There was no concern of anyone or anything except where I was in the present moment and our purpose of being on this trip, which was to say yes to the Lord and to serve those in need.

As young adults in today’s society, being countercultural can be intimidating. Yet, we know that Jesus calls us for more. Many people in his time did not like or understand what he was up to, and those who followed him encountered strife. Yet, he and his followers persisted amidst the doubt, and now many of them are saints, a pretty significant purpose if you ask me.

So maybe I haven’t quite figured out what my true “purpose” is, and I probably still use my phone more than I should.

Yet, I can never forget the peace that has flowed from my life since this time of fasting and intentional living. And one thing I know for certain is that the more we unplug and rid ourselves of unnecessary distractions, we not only find peace in the silence, but we can hear God calling us for more.
 

(Lexi Kilcoin is the project coordinator of social concerns for Catholic Charities in the archdiocese.) †