Blessings & Gratitude - Jayne

As Christmas approached, my family was continually asking me what gifts I wanted, but I found it difficult to come up with a list. I felt so grateful for everything this year has given me, so I didn't feel like there was anything else I needed. JYLA is a huge reason why I feel so content with my life right now. Around this time last year, I was working on my Episcopal Service Corps application, and although JYLA was my top choice, I still wasn’t 100% sure about living and working in LA. I was considering making the safe choice and joining the service program in North Carolina, so I could be much closer to home. However, I ultimately decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and move all the way across the country for JYLA, and that was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Living in LA is a dream come true, I feel so blessed to be working at Open Temple, and I love all of my housemates and see them as family.

Gratitude has been a pretty important theme for me these past couple of months. I take a walk every day to get some fresh air and exercise, and even though I take roughly the same route, each time I’m overwhelmed with wonder and gratitude because I still feel so lucky to be here. I keep thinking about how, if I could go back and tell year-ago Jayne what was in store for her, she would be in complete disbelief. JYLA has opened so many doors for me, and that’s a big part of the reason why I feel like my life has never been better than it is right now!

~ Jayne​