Discovering Newness In Life
By: Kaeleigh Di Cello
One of my favorite things to do when I am not working, reading, running, or frantically meal prepping for the week ahead, is to find something new. Whether that be searching for a new trail in Hayden Park, a quaint coffee shop in a nearby town, or an attempted gourmet recipe, the anticipation of discovering something I had not previously known to exist has always brought me joy.
My longing for newness has also often seemed to pair with a fear of exhausting all of the possibilities. What happens if I discover every trail? What happens if I try every new café? What happens if I prepare every possible recipe? Then what?
As silly as these somewhat intrusive thoughts may seem, I think there is something much deeper in this reality I discovered about myself: a reality that, to some extent, touches each one of us. I contemplated this self-reflection for some time before finally putting my finger on the pulse of what was causing it.
The simple joy of discovering something new, and the fear of exhausting all that could be new, stems from a longing inside of me for something that is without end. A quote from C.S. Lewis sums this up eloquently: “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
Nothing in this world has ever seemed to satisfy my longing for newness, but each time I do discover something new, it is a reminder that there is a world in which my longing will finally be satisfied. One day, I will stand in the presence of One who declares, “behold, I am making all things new.” His ways I will never be able to exhaust.
Each one of us has some form of this desire for newness, wanting to know that there is something outside of ourselves that we can look forward to yet not fully grasp. Even those of us not as eager for change seem to possess a restlessness that longs for something beyond what we know, beyond what we have seen.
So next time you discover something new, whether it be a new town on a tropical adventure or simply a new flower budding from your garden, I encourage you to find joy in it by letting it remind you of both a current reality as well as a future hope. Let it remind you that, if you are in Christ, you are a new creation, because with Him there is newness of life. Yet let it also remind you that there will be a day coming soon when all things will be made new and when we will stand face to face with the One who will surprise us with new realities about Himself for all of eternity.
Go exploring, pick up a new hobby, or listen to a new song. Allow the simple joy of finding something new to remind you of the goodness of our God and to excite you for the never-ending newness that is to come when we are reunited with Him.
Kaeleigh Di Cello | ‘24
I grew up in Pottsville, Pennsylvania and have one younger sister. I was a pre-med Religion major with minors in Biochemistry and Spanish while at Hillsdale. I love to run, knit, read, bake, cook, and travel.
