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Seventeen with a Passion - episode 82
I met our guest a couple of days ago. We struck up a conversation which ended up with us booking this episode. It’s fascinating the way things work out sometimes. Turns out she is 17 and in college, very humble and has a deep passion she shares with us. I want to applaud her for being bold and brave in doing so.
I hope I was able to really speak life into who she is, what she believes. It is so important to me to give space for each person to be who they are. We need to be respectful not shameful when others don’t think/feel/believe the way we do. I realize this is not always easy to do but it should be our goal. Each person has there own journey and they need to do it their own way. Thanks for reminding us of that, Mia.
Thanks for being a part of the UY conversation.
The Unabashed You website has a page for each guest of photos, quotes and a blog with embedded audio at unabashedyou.com. You can find the show on other podcast platforms. Want to lend your support and encouragement? We invite you to follow, rate, review and share.
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We build upon on website visits, social media and word of mouth to share these episodes. We appreciate growth knowing these conversations help you think, celebrate who you are, and move you in some way.
So be encouraged and continue to listen, read and be inspired. 🍐
Transcript
00:00:00
Rechelle: Welcome to Unabashed You conversations to become who you already are. Rechelle Here to listen, encourage and to share another episode. The focus at UY is to be who you are without apology as you are one of a kind without equal. These conversations will help you think, celebrate who you are and move you in some way. So, listen, read and be inspired. I met our guest a couple of days ago, we struck up a conversation which ended with us booking this episode. It's fascinating. The way things work out sometimes. Turns out she's 17 and in college, very humble and has a deep passion she shares with us. I want to applaud her for being bold and brave in doing so.
Intro Music
Rechelle: I met this young woman at a one-day women's retreat this past weekend. We got to talking, she said she would check out the podcast, which I thought was cool.
00:01:06
I knew I needed a guess for this week's episode as our newest series won't start until next week. Mia came in and saved the day. Welcome to the show, Mia.
Mia: Hi, thank you, I'm happy to be here. Hello everybody.
Rechelle: Yeah, so happy to have you. All right, so let's get to know you. Is there is there anything you want the listeners to know about you? Just against the ball rolling.
Mia: So, my name is Mia. Like you've all heard. I am 17 years old. I am from San Diego and I'm currently attending UCSD.
Rechelle: Okay. Oh my goodness. So, you, did you graduate early or young or what or did you? Okay. Yeah, so that's the question?
Mia: So, I have a late birthday, my birthdays in November.
Rechelle: Okay got it.
Mia: Something like with the cutoff date, like when you're going into kindergarten you have to be five, but I was four because my birthday is really late, so that's why I'm so young and cool.
00:02:08
Rechelle: Okay, okay, got it. Okay, that makes sense. Which three words would you use to describe yourself?
Mia: I would first stay friendly. I feel like I feel like I'm the type of person who tries to become friends with everybody and I especially try to reach out to people who I notice like are lonely or don't really have friends. So yeah, I would first say friendly um then I would say compassionate, I feel like I had a lot of compassion for people. And third I would say mellow.
Rechelle: Ooh, that’s so good.
Mia: Yeah, I consider myself an extrovert, but I don't consider myself like super loud, like a loud person. I would just say I'm chill and mellow and just go with the flow.
Rechelle: Yeah, I definitely got that vibe from you on Saturday. For sure. So, uh friendly, compassionate and mellow.
Mia: Mellow, yeah.
Rechelle: Those are really good words and I think from as much as I know about you so far and what I can intuit from being around you is that you know yourself.
00:03:26
Those are really good--descriptive. Alright, let's go to two truths and a lie. I'm imagining, you know how this goes.
Mia: Yeah
Rechelle: Okay, so you say three things and I'll see if I can pick out which one is not true.
Mia: Okay. Um let me think. Okay, I used to do boxing. I love spicy food and I have three bunnies.
Rechelle: Boxing, spicy food and three bunnies. Oh my gosh. Okay. Okay. Uh huh. I'm okay. So, I think you could box. I think you could like spicy food. I mean okay, those are all doable in my mind. Now I'm really like drawn to the three bunnies and here's why. Two things. Well one. I know you're in college. So, I'm wondering how does that translate? Like can you be a college student and have three bunnies? I mean it's not like having a child obviously or even a dog, it's a little different. But like if you're in the dorms, I doubt very seriously that they're going to let you have bunnies.
00:04:33
Here's the other reason I'm drawn to that. I'm drawn to that because you used a number. So maybe you actually do have bunnies, but maybe you have two or one or four. So, I'm going with that is the lie.
Mia: That is the lie. I guess I would have thought that through more because yeah, I am in the dorm. But the thing is that. . . okay so I have two sisters and we used to have three bunnies. Like up until like two weeks ago when my parents decided to give them away because they were tired of us not like taking care of them. Yeah.
Rechelle: Did you each, did you each have kind of like your own bunny or?
Mia: Yeah.
Rechelle: Okay. Okay. So, did. . . was that a difficult thing that your parents gave the bunnies away or are you were like, well they probably should be in a home where they're, you know, kind of a little more doted on?
Mia: Um I mean, I was sad a little bit, but honestly there's really nothing I can do.
00:05:41
I feel like because I'm not even there like taking care of them and like helping take care of them. Um But it was kind of like a shocker because my mom just texted me one day, she's like, oh, we got rid of the bunny. Like I meant I meant to tell you earlier, but. . .
Rechelle: Laughing. Oh my God.
Mia: It's fine.
Rechelle: Okay.
Mia: Yeah. Yeah.
Rechelle: So, you really didn't get to say goodbye, you didn't really get like closure or anything like that. They're just the bunnies are already gone. And so now you've made your peace with that. Well, that's good. That's good. So, you used to box or are you still boxing?
Mia: I used to yeah, it's something I did in like 11th and 12th grade.
Rechelle: Okay.
Mia: Yeah. Yeah, there was like a boxing gym in my neighborhood called House of Boxing? Um And that was really fun. I really liked it. I don't really know what drew me to boxing. I mean my great grandpa was a boxer. Yeah.
00:06:43
Yeah, I mean I would like to continue on, but I don't know.
Rechelle: Well, you're kind of busy right now with school so it's not like it's going anywhere. You know, you can press pause on that right now until you're ready to return. And you love spicy food!
Mia: I love spicy. Yeah. I would say like out of all the flavors, like sweet, sour, savory--spicy is my favorite.
Rechelle: Oh, okay. So how does that translate? Is that like Mexican with the habanero sauce? Is that like Thai and take it to the 10? I mean how does that, what does that look like?
Mia: Yeah, I would say Mexican food or Asian food because I feel like Korean food or like Japanese food can be spicy too. Like if you go to like a ramen place. Like I went to a Ramen place the other day and I got the spicy when it was really good.
Rechelle: So, can you take the 10? Because isn't that how sometimes they ask you like you know like, do you want it all the way, you know, 10 or like where I mean I've been at
00:07:49
. . . I don't remember, I think it was a Thai restaurant and they asked me what number, what number do you want? I was like, oh my gosh, well. Or do you just say, hey, bring it on spicy.
Mia: Yeah. I usually go for the spiciest option. Even if that means that my nose is going to run in, my eyes go water. Yeah.
Rechelle: Well, guess what you get to be you and if you get to like spicy food awesome and who cares that you need a Kleenex to get through the meal. So, what you like it? You like it. Okay. So maybe there are more bunnies in your future. We'll have to see, who knows? Who knows? All right. What are you binging right now? Anything?
Mia: Well, so for my general education it’s required for me to take a fine arts class.
Rechelle: Ooh, nice.
Mia: So, I enrolled in this theater and film class and...
Rechelle: God, great.
Mia: Yeah, it's really fun. Basically all we have to do for the class is there's a movie assigned each week that we have to watch and then we write an essay or like do a quiz on it.
00:09:01
So...
Rechelle: Uh. . .
Mia: Yeah.
Rechelle: That’s the best class ever! I love that class.
Mia: So that's basically all I've been watching is like the movies required.
Rechelle: So, share a couple of them with us. The kind that made an impression on you for one reason or another.
Mia: Have you seen Casablanca?
Rechelle: Yes.
Mia: We watched that movie last week and I really loved it.
Rechelle: Okay. Tell me why you loved it because honestly for me and I know some people don't agree with this and that's the great thing is that we get to have different opinions. To me that's a very overrated movie. I don't know why I feel that way. I just, it just is to me it just doesn't speak to me the way that it speaks to some people. So why did you love it so much?
Mia: So, I am really into like old shows, an old tv like the twilight zone is my all-time favorite show.
Rechelle: Okay, love it.
Mia: Um I also love Dick Van Dyke and...
Rechelle: Oh, I love the Dick Van Dyke Show.
00:10:06
Yes.
Mia: So, I already like that genre and like that style film and whenever I watch a movie like I never liked watching the trailer or like reading this summary because I love to be surprised. I didn't really know anything about Casablanca. I didn't know there was a hype, so I feel like that played into it. Yeah, I didn't have any expectations for it. Um and what I didn't know um because the movie takes place during World War Two. What I didn't know is that the movie was actually made during World War Two which I think is crazy that they were able to execute such an amazing film in the middle of the war when they didn't have that many resources and stuff like that.
Rechelle: Right So now was the ending the ending work for you? Do you feel like he had to give her up? I mean this, this is maybe this is one of the reasons I don't like the movie, or I don't love it the way other people do.
Mia: So, do you not like the fact that he gave her up, or?
Rechelle: Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:09
Because she didn't really like the other guy. She didn't really love him in my opinion. So, it's just like it's not very satisfying. Okay. It's real things like that really happened. I get it. Not everything has to end all, you know with a bow and all of that. But just now she's going to go live her life with somebody she doesn't even really love. That just seems like a not great choice to me.
Mia: I honestly like the fact that he gave her up.
Rechelle: Okay. Because he loved her so much. He was willing to be sacrificial.
Mia: Yeah. Because I can't remember the exact wording. But he said like because the guy that she was married to, he was like a very important figure um for like freedom, and he was against what the Nazis were doing. And so, Rick, her lover, said like if you didn't like you're all he cares about. Like if you didn't go with him, like you wouldn't have a drive to continue on um pursuing freedom, pursuing like resisting the Nazis.
00:12:23
So, it’s like I think it was better for the greater good. Also, I feel like I have really high moral standards. So, like I wouldn't like the fact that she would leave her husband, you know?
Rechelle: Well, that's a very good point.
Mia: Even if she didn't love him.
Rechelle: Okay, that's a really good point. And the fact that he that he really was doing it for the greater good; that does make it a much more--not even just a palatable--that's not a strong enough word, but I really um well I either yeah, more than sacrificial. It's very uh gosh, my words are just not coming to me. Um Okay.
Mia: Selfless.
Rechelle: Yes, Thank you. Yes, it's very selfless. It's very selfless. He really and he strikes you as the kind of guy that is a little bit about himself, you know? So, the fact that he was willing, he willingly gave her up very selflessly.
00:13:28
You're right. I might have to rewatch that movie.
Mia: Yeah.
Rechelle: Okay. one more that you watched lately that I spoke to you?
Mia: Have you heard of the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers?
Rechelle: Yes, I have not seen it because I don't like creepy. No, like once we head into that area that just doesn't I just I just that's not my jam. So yeah, but I know it's a classic. I know it's a classic. I understand the basic premise and all of that. So why did that speak to you? Or what about that movie impressed you?
Mia: So, I don't know if you know the premise of the movie, but it's a sci fi movie and it basically is about a small town and um these pods like these foreign objects like arrived in the town and the pods like take over the people.
00:14:33
So, it's sort of like a parasite. Like it makes the people not have any emotions. Um and like makes everybody the same. And a lot of commentators have said about the movie that it's like in, because during that time like communism was rampant in other countries and all the American’s were afraid of communism. So, they said like, oh the movies and allegory, like the fear of communism, communism coming in taking over, making everybody the same. Like trying to make everybody emotionless. I mean the director said that wasn't their purpose, but it seems like the fear of communism played into that movie. So that was really interesting to like hear about that alert about kind of the history behind the movie. Um but also like, I feel like we can apply this movie to this day and age because I feel like a lot of people, it's not that people are emotionless these days, but like everyone seems to be living for themselves.
00:15:44
Like everyone does things for their own personal benefit if that makes sense.
Rechelle: Yes, I understand what you’re saying.
Mia: So, the movie can apply to like now in this day and age.
Rechelle: Right.
Mia: Because everyone seems to be emotionless.
Rechelle: Right. Well yeah, or their emotions are off the charts and not even rational anymore. Well, I, I am as a fellow movie lover, I really have a heart for performing arts and the stories they tell and then what we can uh you know gathering glean from the movies and there are like life lessons in movies, and you can have, you can learn so much about different time periods and learn compassion and um walking in someone else's shoes and about history and different things. That's one of the reasons I love movies so much and stories so much is for those reasons.
00:16:47
Well, I just think that class sounds like a great class. I've actually been thinking about doing a movie series on the podcast and so you're giving me more fuel for that vision. So, thank you for that. What's a nugget of wisdom you keep handy?
Mia: So, this is probably gonna sound cliche, but I would say spend time with the people you love because you never know what day is gonna be your last or what day is going to be their last. So, I feel like a lot of times we really get caught up in life, like work school, other things like that, and a lot of times we can be so distracted that we don't spend time with our family or like check and see how our friends are doing. So, I think it's really important to really having others focused mindset, not just thinking about yourself and what you have to do, what you have to get done, but think about others and what they may be going through and what you can do to spend time with them or help them.
Rechelle: Okay, you're 17.
00:18:06
You already know that, that is wonderful. It's absolutely wonderful that you already know that and I'm guessing that you're, you're living that too. So it's not even just like, oh, it's an idea in my head spend time with the ones you love though, you're intentionally going forward in that posture of wanting to spend time with the people you love because you're so right, we don't know what even the next hour holds, you know--tonight, tomorrow morning--I mean there's no there's no predicting that that is beautiful. Mia, thank you so much for sharing that. And I think, you know, cliches are cliches for a reason, right? And some of them are far more have more heft and gravitas than others that are like, probably should be retired, but that's a really good one. That's a really, really good one, thank you so much for sharing that. All right, so let's take a deeper dive into Mia. Do you have, like, do you have a passion or is there a certain topic that you want to kind of head into, or we can just kind of keep riffing, what do you want to do?
00:19:19
Mia: Mhm. We can talk about the passion.
Rechelle: Okay, great. What's your what is your passion? Let's talk about that.
Mia: I would say, Jesus, honestly.
Rechelle: Okay, yes, beautiful, wonderful. That's your passion. And you know, it's so um what's the good, you know, sometimes I love words, I told you that at the retreat, I love words, so words like, I like to choose them and make sure that they work for what I'm trying to say, just like with your the a nugget that you shared, This is also something that would not necessarily be typical of a 17 year old, that Jesus would be your passion. And one I am inspired by you speaking that out. Two, that you already know that. Three, your courage in claiming that. I think we'll speak to other people and fourth, fourthly, I don't think fourthly is a word, but I'm gonna, I'm gonna pretend it is, you get to be you, and that's the whole point of the show, you get to be you. Okay, okay, so I'm gonna kind of start us off a little bit in the sense that Mia and I attended the same retreat on Saturday.
00:20:47
It was a one-day event, and it was about purpose and calling and I cannot remember exactly the title of it, but that was basically the theme. Mia came to, there were four workshops that were breakout sessions, I was I had the great honor of being able to be one of the speakers for one of those workshop sessions. So, two times I gave basically the same talk, and it was interactive, which is my favorite part of sharing. Uh it was about Martha of Bethany, and it was also about each woman's purpose and calling. This happened to be a women's retreat. Mia caught my eye when I passed out these little stickers that the women were putting in their journals about an activity we were going to do, and I walked by and said, hey did you get one? And you said, yeah, I put it on my water bottle, which I was like, oh my God, that is so great. So, she put this sticker, this little activity we're going to do on our water bottle.
00:21:52
I ran into her at the end of the workshop day, and I was like, oh there you are, I said hey in my second session, I said oh yeah, and this young woman, she put it on her water bottle because I of course I thought that was just so cool. So how long has this been your passion, or has he been your passion? How long do you want to get to get into that? Okay, yeah, let's talk about that. How did how did that transpire?
Mia: So, I was raised in a Christian home. Okay, so I've always grown up believing in Jesus and God, I never liked doubted in my mind that, you know, Jesus is God, God is true, God created all things, but um I feel like I never understood what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus, and I feel like I never had one. Um so I think around 10th grade in high school is when I started to understand. I went to a Christian, like a private Christian school and it was required for us for each year to take a bible class.
00:23:08
So, I feel like that really helped me understand more about the bible, understand more about the gospel and what it means, that relationship with Jesus. So around that time I started to understand and I feel like I kind of made my faith my own because I feel like when you're little and you and you grew up in the church, your faith is like sort of your parents because it's your parents, your parents bring you to church, it's your parents, you know, telling you to pray before you eat and stuff like that. Um so I would say around that time is when I really started to live out my faith through my own and have a personal relationship with Jesus and I'm really glad that I decided to do that because I mean I think that's the most, I mean it is the most important decision that you can make in your life.
Rechelle: Okay, so it's been I'm guessing about three years, three plus years or so you got 10th grade, 11th grade 12th grade and now you're in your first year, so maybe we're heading to four depending on what time of year it was.
00:24:11
Um how has that manifested in your, in your life now? Having this strong faith.
Mia: Okay. Um What kind of going into what you talked about at the retreat: like it's given me purpose. Um Because I feel like before I started living for Christ like I was sort of just lost and I didn't, I didn't know what my purpose was. You know felt empty. Um even like depressed because I just I didn't know like Jesus really personally and because of that I didn't have my purpose in him were like my worth in him. Um Because our worth and our value and our purpose is defined by God. Yeah. I didn't have like I mean of course I had my worth in him, but I just didn't know that yet. So definitely since then I found like my value and worth in him. And I feel like um I like uh acquired the fruits of the spirit since then you know because when you start living for Christ, he starts sanctifying you and making you become more like him.
00:25:31
And so, I feel like I've definitely like learned more about the fruits of the spirit and like acquired that like love, joy, peace, patience, all of that. So, I think I mean like Yeah when you have God and like Jesus living in your heart, you really have all that you need.
Rechelle: Mm hmm. So, I'm guessing then that because of your faith, you've been able to uh you know, live your life in a way that has some like you say—purpose--and then that also gives you a sense of peace. Because you um you know that you are, you're living out what you believe, and others can see that. It's not just this thing I do on Sunday and maybe I'd do a little bit of reading here and there. Maybe I do a little bit of praying. I mean and all that's good and all of that's good. But if people can see in you that you are living your faith, that's for me, what really matters.
00:26:44
Does that make sense?
Mia: Yeah.
Rechelle: Because you can talk and talk and talk and talk. I'm not saying you literally you out there you but how do you live? What am I what do I see? I mean, what do you embody? What do you bring? I mean that that is really key for me.
Mia: Yeah. And I think that's especially applicable to me right now going to the secular college because there's so many people here that don't know God. And I feel like it's very important for me to be a light to them, not only through my words by my actions sort of like a living testimony. So, they can see you like that something's different. It's kind of like there's a verse in the bible that says like let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven. So, I'm trying to live out that verse right now.
Rechelle: That's wonderful. That's really beautiful. And my guess also is just based on what I'm gathering from you as a young woman is that you have this, you're convicted by it, you live it.
00:27:55
Um and you are allowing other people to be who they are in their own process and journey. And if they're drawn to your light, your warmth, your love, you know, they might like, oh what are you about? And then is that kind of typically how you have a conversation if you even have conversations because you know sometimes you make God beautiful by really just the way you live and not necessarily, you know, uh cajoling clobbering, convincing, you know, that whole thing, that whole mindset that doesn't work first of all, and second of all, it's a turn off.
Mia: Mhm. Yeah, I'm trying to think um I mean I think there's different ways that I try to like to be a light yes, friendly gospel and stuff um like most recently, like I had a friend who was going through a really tough time. So, I just said that can I pray for you?
00:29:00
And she said, yeah, so I was able to pray for her and I think that that was really nice to be able to do that.
Rechelle: That is a great weight way to live out your faith because it's not threatening on, right. It's not a threatening thing. You're not hitting her over the head with the bible. You're saying, hey, you know, basically in your own inner monologue, I see a need, I see she's hurting, I see struggle, whatever it was. And hey, can I pray for you? And it comes from a really loving heartfelt place. That's a really, really beautiful gesture and you meant it and you did it.
Mia: Mhm.
Rechelle: So just a little more about being at a secular college. It sounds like you went through Christian school all the way up to now. Do you. Or at least in high school you did. Um is it, do you, I mean, how do you, how do you feel about that? Do you, I mean this is like real life, right?
00:30:07
I mean you're, you're not in the Christian bubble as we sort of call it, right? You're out there.
Mia: Yeah, so I find it very different from what I used to, I mean definitely like in my classes, my teachers, like for my history class for example, um we were learning about like, like the creation story, like through genesis and stuff, but they were calling it a myth, like this is a creation myth. Um and like of course, like going to a Christian school, I never had that, and my professor was talking about the bible, and she was like bringing up stuff about the bible, it isn't true, I don't know how she came to these conclusions. She's like, oh, Eve was probably a goddess in the bible. So, it's just stuff like that, that's kind of weird, you know? Um. . .
Rechelle: Right. it's almost taking it so far to the other extreme, you know, like, like trying to disprove it and it isn't it better to say this is, you know, I think it's more inclusive to say this is one theory and you know, this is this is one model.
00:31:24
This is one way of looking at how I mean for a secular college, obviously they're not going to say this is how it is, but you know, this is one model of, of how many people believe it all started. Of course, we have this model and there's this model, I mean, it's kind of like not giving it equal footing, which it sounds like it's the part that's like, well, wait a minute, what, what, what?
Mia: Yeah, I definitely see that in my class, like, my professor is trying to disprove the bible and like, say that it's a myth or that it's not real and that's really interesting because they single out Christianity, they're not doing that for any other religion. Like, I feel like there'd be a bunch of backlash, like, if they were to, oh sorry, I got a call um if there were there would be a lot of backlash if they were trying to speak out against Muslims or something like that.
Rechelle: Or Buddhist or the other religions.
00:32:25
Mia: Yeah. Yeah. Yes, so I feel like they do definitely single out Christianity, but I'm not surprised because the bible does talk about like Christians are going to be persecuted and you know, if Jesus said if they hated me, they're going to hate you too. So, I'm definitely not surprised. Like I definitely expected all of this coming to a secular school, so it's just a matter of knowing what to do in that situation, how to approach that.
Rechelle: Well, it sounds like you are getting a handle on that and I'm imagining that's going to be a process for you, it's not going to be like one and done, it's going to be just, you know, an ongoing kind of a thing, like how you, how do you continue to move through your college time with your strong faith intact.
Mia: Yeah, and I definitely think because I am a PoliSci major, I have to take like a bunch of political classes and like history classes, so I'm definitely going to be bombarded with a lot of that because for example, I have a friend who is a junior, he's a computer science major and I was telling him about all this stuff and he said like he hasn't experienced any of that just because he only has to take math classes and stuff like that?
00:33:49
So, I'm definitely going to be bombarded with it a lot.
Rechelle: Okay, what do you want to do with your political science major?
Mia: That's an interesting question. Um So I'm thinking, I mean there's a lot of things you can do with a political science major, like the lawyer or you know, go into politics or be a social breaker. Um I'm thinking of going more into the law enforcement route.
Rechelle: Oh, interesting.
Mia: Yeah, like being a criminal investigator. I mean I feel like ever since I was little, I wanted to be a detective. Um So that's what I'm thinking about doing. I don't know though, honestly, I feel like I'm just gonna end up being a mom one day
Rechelle: Don't say just because being a mom is really hard.
Mia: Yeah, it is very important, and my mom says like that's the hardest job she's had as being a mom. But yeah, I feel like I'm gonna end up being a mom one day so I might not even like use my degree, which I don’t have a problem with
Rechelle: Well, who knows, you may end up dabbling elsewhere along the way.
00:35:02
I mean it just, it just all depends. Sometimes it's, you know, juggling a couple balls at the same time motherhood along with something and then sometimes it's, you know motherhood and nothing else. I mean really you get to pick; you get to pick how you want to do that and I don't think there's a really right or wrong answer. I think it has to it comes back to the values that you hold and how you and your partner want to, you know, move forward.
Mia: Mhm Yeah well yeah.
Rechelle: I'm excited to see the next chapter for Mia, I really am. Um wow. Well first of all in conclusion, let me say that you embody being unabashedly for sure you are completely unapologetic for who you are for your faith, and you get to be that you get to do that, and I really just want to speak that into you because that's so important to me that you get to be you right.
00:36:09
Um you know some of the women in our in our session, I mean some of the older women in our session, you can almost feel that they weren't necessarily able to fully be themselves and that that made me really sad. But you hear you are sort of the threshold of the whole thing, and you get to be that and do that. So, thank you for sharing with us your passion, your faith and you know some of the experiences you're having in college and You're 17 and you have a wonderful, God willing, very long, fruitful life ahead of you, thank you for being an inspiration. Do you have anything in conclusion that you'd like to say?
Mia: Mm I think you had a good conclusion. I really like what you said.
Rechelle: Good.
Mia: Well, thank you here, thank you for having me be a part of this.
00:37:11
Rechelle: Well, I'm just I love how it all worked out. I love, I just love from the water bottle onto like where we're talking about and all of a sudden, it's like, oh my gosh, you do, you do it. Yeah, do it okay. And then we're doing it and you know; I find it crazy how it worked out. I think it's wonderful. I think it's so wonderful. I love it. All right. And now I need to get to work because this is coming out tomorrow and I will send it to you in the morning. Thank you, Mia, from the bottom of my heart, truly thank you so much for spending this time with us. Really appreciate it. I appreciate you. Thank you.
Mia: My pleasure. Thank you Everyone who listened.
Rechelle: Okay bye.
Outro Music
Rechelle: I hope I was able to really speak life into who Mia is, what she believes. It is so important to me to give space for each person to be who they are. We need to be respectful, not shameful when others don't think, feel, believe the way we do. I realize this is not always easy to do, but it should be our goal.
00:38:22
Each person has their own journey, and they need to do it their own way. Thanks for reminding us of that Mia. The Unabashed You website has a page for each guest of photos quotes in a blog with embedded audio at unabashedyou.com. You can find the show and other podcast platforms. If you want to lend your support and encouragement, we invite you to subscribe, follow, rate, review and share on Instagram and Facebook. You can find us under unabashed you and if you want to connect via email [email protected] for questions, comments etcetera. If you want to be on our weekly email list highlighting that week's episode, give me a shout, I'd be happy to at you. Your info will not be shared, and you will only get that one email once a week. Website visits, social media, word of mouth and sharing this episode make us much more discoverable. Thank you for your support there. We want these conversations to help you think, celebrate who you are and move you in some way so continue to listen, read, and be inspired. May you go out into the world and be you. May you relish your passions, your challenges and even your shortcomings.
00:39:36
Be open to the shifts. Look for the gifts in the blessings and the hardships. It all makes you, you. Amen. Now go be unabashed. Be you.
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By Rechelle Conde-Nau
5
6262 ratings
I met our guest a couple of days ago. We struck up a conversation which ended up with us booking this episode. It’s fascinating the way things work out sometimes. Turns out she is 17 and in college, very humble and has a deep passion she shares with us. I want to applaud her for being bold and brave in doing so.
I hope I was able to really speak life into who she is, what she believes. It is so important to me to give space for each person to be who they are. We need to be respectful not shameful when others don’t think/feel/believe the way we do. I realize this is not always easy to do but it should be our goal. Each person has there own journey and they need to do it their own way. Thanks for reminding us of that, Mia.
Thanks for being a part of the UY conversation.
The Unabashed You website has a page for each guest of photos, quotes and a blog with embedded audio at unabashedyou.com. You can find the show on other podcast platforms. Want to lend your support and encouragement? We invite you to follow, rate, review and share.
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If you have questions or comments email us at: [email protected].
We build upon on website visits, social media and word of mouth to share these episodes. We appreciate growth knowing these conversations help you think, celebrate who you are, and move you in some way.
So be encouraged and continue to listen, read and be inspired. 🍐
Transcript
00:00:00
Rechelle: Welcome to Unabashed You conversations to become who you already are. Rechelle Here to listen, encourage and to share another episode. The focus at UY is to be who you are without apology as you are one of a kind without equal. These conversations will help you think, celebrate who you are and move you in some way. So, listen, read and be inspired. I met our guest a couple of days ago, we struck up a conversation which ended with us booking this episode. It's fascinating. The way things work out sometimes. Turns out she's 17 and in college, very humble and has a deep passion she shares with us. I want to applaud her for being bold and brave in doing so.
Intro Music
Rechelle: I met this young woman at a one-day women's retreat this past weekend. We got to talking, she said she would check out the podcast, which I thought was cool.
00:01:06
I knew I needed a guess for this week's episode as our newest series won't start until next week. Mia came in and saved the day. Welcome to the show, Mia.
Mia: Hi, thank you, I'm happy to be here. Hello everybody.
Rechelle: Yeah, so happy to have you. All right, so let's get to know you. Is there is there anything you want the listeners to know about you? Just against the ball rolling.
Mia: So, my name is Mia. Like you've all heard. I am 17 years old. I am from San Diego and I'm currently attending UCSD.
Rechelle: Okay. Oh my goodness. So, you, did you graduate early or young or what or did you? Okay. Yeah, so that's the question?
Mia: So, I have a late birthday, my birthdays in November.
Rechelle: Okay got it.
Mia: Something like with the cutoff date, like when you're going into kindergarten you have to be five, but I was four because my birthday is really late, so that's why I'm so young and cool.
00:02:08
Rechelle: Okay, okay, got it. Okay, that makes sense. Which three words would you use to describe yourself?
Mia: I would first stay friendly. I feel like I feel like I'm the type of person who tries to become friends with everybody and I especially try to reach out to people who I notice like are lonely or don't really have friends. So yeah, I would first say friendly um then I would say compassionate, I feel like I had a lot of compassion for people. And third I would say mellow.
Rechelle: Ooh, that’s so good.
Mia: Yeah, I consider myself an extrovert, but I don't consider myself like super loud, like a loud person. I would just say I'm chill and mellow and just go with the flow.
Rechelle: Yeah, I definitely got that vibe from you on Saturday. For sure. So, uh friendly, compassionate and mellow.
Mia: Mellow, yeah.
Rechelle: Those are really good words and I think from as much as I know about you so far and what I can intuit from being around you is that you know yourself.
00:03:26
Those are really good--descriptive. Alright, let's go to two truths and a lie. I'm imagining, you know how this goes.
Mia: Yeah
Rechelle: Okay, so you say three things and I'll see if I can pick out which one is not true.
Mia: Okay. Um let me think. Okay, I used to do boxing. I love spicy food and I have three bunnies.
Rechelle: Boxing, spicy food and three bunnies. Oh my gosh. Okay. Okay. Uh huh. I'm okay. So, I think you could box. I think you could like spicy food. I mean okay, those are all doable in my mind. Now I'm really like drawn to the three bunnies and here's why. Two things. Well one. I know you're in college. So, I'm wondering how does that translate? Like can you be a college student and have three bunnies? I mean it's not like having a child obviously or even a dog, it's a little different. But like if you're in the dorms, I doubt very seriously that they're going to let you have bunnies.
00:04:33
Here's the other reason I'm drawn to that. I'm drawn to that because you used a number. So maybe you actually do have bunnies, but maybe you have two or one or four. So, I'm going with that is the lie.
Mia: That is the lie. I guess I would have thought that through more because yeah, I am in the dorm. But the thing is that. . . okay so I have two sisters and we used to have three bunnies. Like up until like two weeks ago when my parents decided to give them away because they were tired of us not like taking care of them. Yeah.
Rechelle: Did you each, did you each have kind of like your own bunny or?
Mia: Yeah.
Rechelle: Okay. Okay. So, did. . . was that a difficult thing that your parents gave the bunnies away or are you were like, well they probably should be in a home where they're, you know, kind of a little more doted on?
Mia: Um I mean, I was sad a little bit, but honestly there's really nothing I can do.
00:05:41
I feel like because I'm not even there like taking care of them and like helping take care of them. Um But it was kind of like a shocker because my mom just texted me one day, she's like, oh, we got rid of the bunny. Like I meant I meant to tell you earlier, but. . .
Rechelle: Laughing. Oh my God.
Mia: It's fine.
Rechelle: Okay.
Mia: Yeah. Yeah.
Rechelle: So, you really didn't get to say goodbye, you didn't really get like closure or anything like that. They're just the bunnies are already gone. And so now you've made your peace with that. Well, that's good. That's good. So, you used to box or are you still boxing?
Mia: I used to yeah, it's something I did in like 11th and 12th grade.
Rechelle: Okay.
Mia: Yeah. Yeah, there was like a boxing gym in my neighborhood called House of Boxing? Um And that was really fun. I really liked it. I don't really know what drew me to boxing. I mean my great grandpa was a boxer. Yeah.
00:06:43
Yeah, I mean I would like to continue on, but I don't know.
Rechelle: Well, you're kind of busy right now with school so it's not like it's going anywhere. You know, you can press pause on that right now until you're ready to return. And you love spicy food!
Mia: I love spicy. Yeah. I would say like out of all the flavors, like sweet, sour, savory--spicy is my favorite.
Rechelle: Oh, okay. So how does that translate? Is that like Mexican with the habanero sauce? Is that like Thai and take it to the 10? I mean how does that, what does that look like?
Mia: Yeah, I would say Mexican food or Asian food because I feel like Korean food or like Japanese food can be spicy too. Like if you go to like a ramen place. Like I went to a Ramen place the other day and I got the spicy when it was really good.
Rechelle: So, can you take the 10? Because isn't that how sometimes they ask you like you know like, do you want it all the way, you know, 10 or like where I mean I've been at
00:07:49
. . . I don't remember, I think it was a Thai restaurant and they asked me what number, what number do you want? I was like, oh my gosh, well. Or do you just say, hey, bring it on spicy.
Mia: Yeah. I usually go for the spiciest option. Even if that means that my nose is going to run in, my eyes go water. Yeah.
Rechelle: Well, guess what you get to be you and if you get to like spicy food awesome and who cares that you need a Kleenex to get through the meal. So, what you like it? You like it. Okay. So maybe there are more bunnies in your future. We'll have to see, who knows? Who knows? All right. What are you binging right now? Anything?
Mia: Well, so for my general education it’s required for me to take a fine arts class.
Rechelle: Ooh, nice.
Mia: So, I enrolled in this theater and film class and...
Rechelle: God, great.
Mia: Yeah, it's really fun. Basically all we have to do for the class is there's a movie assigned each week that we have to watch and then we write an essay or like do a quiz on it.
00:09:01
So...
Rechelle: Uh. . .
Mia: Yeah.
Rechelle: That’s the best class ever! I love that class.
Mia: So that's basically all I've been watching is like the movies required.
Rechelle: So, share a couple of them with us. The kind that made an impression on you for one reason or another.
Mia: Have you seen Casablanca?
Rechelle: Yes.
Mia: We watched that movie last week and I really loved it.
Rechelle: Okay. Tell me why you loved it because honestly for me and I know some people don't agree with this and that's the great thing is that we get to have different opinions. To me that's a very overrated movie. I don't know why I feel that way. I just, it just is to me it just doesn't speak to me the way that it speaks to some people. So why did you love it so much?
Mia: So, I am really into like old shows, an old tv like the twilight zone is my all-time favorite show.
Rechelle: Okay, love it.
Mia: Um I also love Dick Van Dyke and...
Rechelle: Oh, I love the Dick Van Dyke Show.
00:10:06
Yes.
Mia: So, I already like that genre and like that style film and whenever I watch a movie like I never liked watching the trailer or like reading this summary because I love to be surprised. I didn't really know anything about Casablanca. I didn't know there was a hype, so I feel like that played into it. Yeah, I didn't have any expectations for it. Um and what I didn't know um because the movie takes place during World War Two. What I didn't know is that the movie was actually made during World War Two which I think is crazy that they were able to execute such an amazing film in the middle of the war when they didn't have that many resources and stuff like that.
Rechelle: Right So now was the ending the ending work for you? Do you feel like he had to give her up? I mean this, this is maybe this is one of the reasons I don't like the movie, or I don't love it the way other people do.
Mia: So, do you not like the fact that he gave her up, or?
Rechelle: Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:09
Because she didn't really like the other guy. She didn't really love him in my opinion. So, it's just like it's not very satisfying. Okay. It's real things like that really happened. I get it. Not everything has to end all, you know with a bow and all of that. But just now she's going to go live her life with somebody she doesn't even really love. That just seems like a not great choice to me.
Mia: I honestly like the fact that he gave her up.
Rechelle: Okay. Because he loved her so much. He was willing to be sacrificial.
Mia: Yeah. Because I can't remember the exact wording. But he said like because the guy that she was married to, he was like a very important figure um for like freedom, and he was against what the Nazis were doing. And so, Rick, her lover, said like if you didn't like you're all he cares about. Like if you didn't go with him, like you wouldn't have a drive to continue on um pursuing freedom, pursuing like resisting the Nazis.
00:12:23
So, it’s like I think it was better for the greater good. Also, I feel like I have really high moral standards. So, like I wouldn't like the fact that she would leave her husband, you know?
Rechelle: Well, that's a very good point.
Mia: Even if she didn't love him.
Rechelle: Okay, that's a really good point. And the fact that he that he really was doing it for the greater good; that does make it a much more--not even just a palatable--that's not a strong enough word, but I really um well I either yeah, more than sacrificial. It's very uh gosh, my words are just not coming to me. Um Okay.
Mia: Selfless.
Rechelle: Yes, Thank you. Yes, it's very selfless. It's very selfless. He really and he strikes you as the kind of guy that is a little bit about himself, you know? So, the fact that he was willing, he willingly gave her up very selflessly.
00:13:28
You're right. I might have to rewatch that movie.
Mia: Yeah.
Rechelle: Okay. one more that you watched lately that I spoke to you?
Mia: Have you heard of the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers?
Rechelle: Yes, I have not seen it because I don't like creepy. No, like once we head into that area that just doesn't I just I just that's not my jam. So yeah, but I know it's a classic. I know it's a classic. I understand the basic premise and all of that. So why did that speak to you? Or what about that movie impressed you?
Mia: So, I don't know if you know the premise of the movie, but it's a sci fi movie and it basically is about a small town and um these pods like these foreign objects like arrived in the town and the pods like take over the people.
00:14:33
So, it's sort of like a parasite. Like it makes the people not have any emotions. Um and like makes everybody the same. And a lot of commentators have said about the movie that it's like in, because during that time like communism was rampant in other countries and all the American’s were afraid of communism. So, they said like, oh the movies and allegory, like the fear of communism, communism coming in taking over, making everybody the same. Like trying to make everybody emotionless. I mean the director said that wasn't their purpose, but it seems like the fear of communism played into that movie. So that was really interesting to like hear about that alert about kind of the history behind the movie. Um but also like, I feel like we can apply this movie to this day and age because I feel like a lot of people, it's not that people are emotionless these days, but like everyone seems to be living for themselves.
00:15:44
Like everyone does things for their own personal benefit if that makes sense.
Rechelle: Yes, I understand what you’re saying.
Mia: So, the movie can apply to like now in this day and age.
Rechelle: Right.
Mia: Because everyone seems to be emotionless.
Rechelle: Right. Well yeah, or their emotions are off the charts and not even rational anymore. Well, I, I am as a fellow movie lover, I really have a heart for performing arts and the stories they tell and then what we can uh you know gathering glean from the movies and there are like life lessons in movies, and you can have, you can learn so much about different time periods and learn compassion and um walking in someone else's shoes and about history and different things. That's one of the reasons I love movies so much and stories so much is for those reasons.
00:16:47
Well, I just think that class sounds like a great class. I've actually been thinking about doing a movie series on the podcast and so you're giving me more fuel for that vision. So, thank you for that. What's a nugget of wisdom you keep handy?
Mia: So, this is probably gonna sound cliche, but I would say spend time with the people you love because you never know what day is gonna be your last or what day is going to be their last. So, I feel like a lot of times we really get caught up in life, like work school, other things like that, and a lot of times we can be so distracted that we don't spend time with our family or like check and see how our friends are doing. So, I think it's really important to really having others focused mindset, not just thinking about yourself and what you have to do, what you have to get done, but think about others and what they may be going through and what you can do to spend time with them or help them.
Rechelle: Okay, you're 17.
00:18:06
You already know that, that is wonderful. It's absolutely wonderful that you already know that and I'm guessing that you're, you're living that too. So it's not even just like, oh, it's an idea in my head spend time with the ones you love though, you're intentionally going forward in that posture of wanting to spend time with the people you love because you're so right, we don't know what even the next hour holds, you know--tonight, tomorrow morning--I mean there's no there's no predicting that that is beautiful. Mia, thank you so much for sharing that. And I think, you know, cliches are cliches for a reason, right? And some of them are far more have more heft and gravitas than others that are like, probably should be retired, but that's a really good one. That's a really, really good one, thank you so much for sharing that. All right, so let's take a deeper dive into Mia. Do you have, like, do you have a passion or is there a certain topic that you want to kind of head into, or we can just kind of keep riffing, what do you want to do?
00:19:19
Mia: Mhm. We can talk about the passion.
Rechelle: Okay, great. What's your what is your passion? Let's talk about that.
Mia: I would say, Jesus, honestly.
Rechelle: Okay, yes, beautiful, wonderful. That's your passion. And you know, it's so um what's the good, you know, sometimes I love words, I told you that at the retreat, I love words, so words like, I like to choose them and make sure that they work for what I'm trying to say, just like with your the a nugget that you shared, This is also something that would not necessarily be typical of a 17 year old, that Jesus would be your passion. And one I am inspired by you speaking that out. Two, that you already know that. Three, your courage in claiming that. I think we'll speak to other people and fourth, fourthly, I don't think fourthly is a word, but I'm gonna, I'm gonna pretend it is, you get to be you, and that's the whole point of the show, you get to be you. Okay, okay, so I'm gonna kind of start us off a little bit in the sense that Mia and I attended the same retreat on Saturday.
00:20:47
It was a one-day event, and it was about purpose and calling and I cannot remember exactly the title of it, but that was basically the theme. Mia came to, there were four workshops that were breakout sessions, I was I had the great honor of being able to be one of the speakers for one of those workshop sessions. So, two times I gave basically the same talk, and it was interactive, which is my favorite part of sharing. Uh it was about Martha of Bethany, and it was also about each woman's purpose and calling. This happened to be a women's retreat. Mia caught my eye when I passed out these little stickers that the women were putting in their journals about an activity we were going to do, and I walked by and said, hey did you get one? And you said, yeah, I put it on my water bottle, which I was like, oh my God, that is so great. So, she put this sticker, this little activity we're going to do on our water bottle.
00:21:52
I ran into her at the end of the workshop day, and I was like, oh there you are, I said hey in my second session, I said oh yeah, and this young woman, she put it on her water bottle because I of course I thought that was just so cool. So how long has this been your passion, or has he been your passion? How long do you want to get to get into that? Okay, yeah, let's talk about that. How did how did that transpire?
Mia: So, I was raised in a Christian home. Okay, so I've always grown up believing in Jesus and God, I never liked doubted in my mind that, you know, Jesus is God, God is true, God created all things, but um I feel like I never understood what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus, and I feel like I never had one. Um so I think around 10th grade in high school is when I started to understand. I went to a Christian, like a private Christian school and it was required for us for each year to take a bible class.
00:23:08
So, I feel like that really helped me understand more about the bible, understand more about the gospel and what it means, that relationship with Jesus. So around that time I started to understand and I feel like I kind of made my faith my own because I feel like when you're little and you and you grew up in the church, your faith is like sort of your parents because it's your parents, your parents bring you to church, it's your parents, you know, telling you to pray before you eat and stuff like that. Um so I would say around that time is when I really started to live out my faith through my own and have a personal relationship with Jesus and I'm really glad that I decided to do that because I mean I think that's the most, I mean it is the most important decision that you can make in your life.
Rechelle: Okay, so it's been I'm guessing about three years, three plus years or so you got 10th grade, 11th grade 12th grade and now you're in your first year, so maybe we're heading to four depending on what time of year it was.
00:24:11
Um how has that manifested in your, in your life now? Having this strong faith.
Mia: Okay. Um What kind of going into what you talked about at the retreat: like it's given me purpose. Um Because I feel like before I started living for Christ like I was sort of just lost and I didn't, I didn't know what my purpose was. You know felt empty. Um even like depressed because I just I didn't know like Jesus really personally and because of that I didn't have my purpose in him were like my worth in him. Um Because our worth and our value and our purpose is defined by God. Yeah. I didn't have like I mean of course I had my worth in him, but I just didn't know that yet. So definitely since then I found like my value and worth in him. And I feel like um I like uh acquired the fruits of the spirit since then you know because when you start living for Christ, he starts sanctifying you and making you become more like him.
00:25:31
And so, I feel like I've definitely like learned more about the fruits of the spirit and like acquired that like love, joy, peace, patience, all of that. So, I think I mean like Yeah when you have God and like Jesus living in your heart, you really have all that you need.
Rechelle: Mm hmm. So, I'm guessing then that because of your faith, you've been able to uh you know, live your life in a way that has some like you say—purpose--and then that also gives you a sense of peace. Because you um you know that you are, you're living out what you believe, and others can see that. It's not just this thing I do on Sunday and maybe I'd do a little bit of reading here and there. Maybe I do a little bit of praying. I mean and all that's good and all of that's good. But if people can see in you that you are living your faith, that's for me, what really matters.
00:26:44
Does that make sense?
Mia: Yeah.
Rechelle: Because you can talk and talk and talk and talk. I'm not saying you literally you out there you but how do you live? What am I what do I see? I mean, what do you embody? What do you bring? I mean that that is really key for me.
Mia: Yeah. And I think that's especially applicable to me right now going to the secular college because there's so many people here that don't know God. And I feel like it's very important for me to be a light to them, not only through my words by my actions sort of like a living testimony. So, they can see you like that something's different. It's kind of like there's a verse in the bible that says like let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven. So, I'm trying to live out that verse right now.
Rechelle: That's wonderful. That's really beautiful. And my guess also is just based on what I'm gathering from you as a young woman is that you have this, you're convicted by it, you live it.
00:27:55
Um and you are allowing other people to be who they are in their own process and journey. And if they're drawn to your light, your warmth, your love, you know, they might like, oh what are you about? And then is that kind of typically how you have a conversation if you even have conversations because you know sometimes you make God beautiful by really just the way you live and not necessarily, you know, uh cajoling clobbering, convincing, you know, that whole thing, that whole mindset that doesn't work first of all, and second of all, it's a turn off.
Mia: Mhm. Yeah, I'm trying to think um I mean I think there's different ways that I try to like to be a light yes, friendly gospel and stuff um like most recently, like I had a friend who was going through a really tough time. So, I just said that can I pray for you?
00:29:00
And she said, yeah, so I was able to pray for her and I think that that was really nice to be able to do that.
Rechelle: That is a great weight way to live out your faith because it's not threatening on, right. It's not a threatening thing. You're not hitting her over the head with the bible. You're saying, hey, you know, basically in your own inner monologue, I see a need, I see she's hurting, I see struggle, whatever it was. And hey, can I pray for you? And it comes from a really loving heartfelt place. That's a really, really beautiful gesture and you meant it and you did it.
Mia: Mhm.
Rechelle: So just a little more about being at a secular college. It sounds like you went through Christian school all the way up to now. Do you. Or at least in high school you did. Um is it, do you, I mean, how do you, how do you feel about that? Do you, I mean this is like real life, right?
00:30:07
I mean you're, you're not in the Christian bubble as we sort of call it, right? You're out there.
Mia: Yeah, so I find it very different from what I used to, I mean definitely like in my classes, my teachers, like for my history class for example, um we were learning about like, like the creation story, like through genesis and stuff, but they were calling it a myth, like this is a creation myth. Um and like of course, like going to a Christian school, I never had that, and my professor was talking about the bible, and she was like bringing up stuff about the bible, it isn't true, I don't know how she came to these conclusions. She's like, oh, Eve was probably a goddess in the bible. So, it's just stuff like that, that's kind of weird, you know? Um. . .
Rechelle: Right. it's almost taking it so far to the other extreme, you know, like, like trying to disprove it and it isn't it better to say this is, you know, I think it's more inclusive to say this is one theory and you know, this is this is one model.
00:31:24
This is one way of looking at how I mean for a secular college, obviously they're not going to say this is how it is, but you know, this is one model of, of how many people believe it all started. Of course, we have this model and there's this model, I mean, it's kind of like not giving it equal footing, which it sounds like it's the part that's like, well, wait a minute, what, what, what?
Mia: Yeah, I definitely see that in my class, like, my professor is trying to disprove the bible and like, say that it's a myth or that it's not real and that's really interesting because they single out Christianity, they're not doing that for any other religion. Like, I feel like there'd be a bunch of backlash, like, if they were to, oh sorry, I got a call um if there were there would be a lot of backlash if they were trying to speak out against Muslims or something like that.
Rechelle: Or Buddhist or the other religions.
00:32:25
Mia: Yeah. Yeah. Yes, so I feel like they do definitely single out Christianity, but I'm not surprised because the bible does talk about like Christians are going to be persecuted and you know, if Jesus said if they hated me, they're going to hate you too. So, I'm definitely not surprised. Like I definitely expected all of this coming to a secular school, so it's just a matter of knowing what to do in that situation, how to approach that.
Rechelle: Well, it sounds like you are getting a handle on that and I'm imagining that's going to be a process for you, it's not going to be like one and done, it's going to be just, you know, an ongoing kind of a thing, like how you, how do you continue to move through your college time with your strong faith intact.
Mia: Yeah, and I definitely think because I am a PoliSci major, I have to take like a bunch of political classes and like history classes, so I'm definitely going to be bombarded with a lot of that because for example, I have a friend who is a junior, he's a computer science major and I was telling him about all this stuff and he said like he hasn't experienced any of that just because he only has to take math classes and stuff like that?
00:33:49
So, I'm definitely going to be bombarded with it a lot.
Rechelle: Okay, what do you want to do with your political science major?
Mia: That's an interesting question. Um So I'm thinking, I mean there's a lot of things you can do with a political science major, like the lawyer or you know, go into politics or be a social breaker. Um I'm thinking of going more into the law enforcement route.
Rechelle: Oh, interesting.
Mia: Yeah, like being a criminal investigator. I mean I feel like ever since I was little, I wanted to be a detective. Um So that's what I'm thinking about doing. I don't know though, honestly, I feel like I'm just gonna end up being a mom one day
Rechelle: Don't say just because being a mom is really hard.
Mia: Yeah, it is very important, and my mom says like that's the hardest job she's had as being a mom. But yeah, I feel like I'm gonna end up being a mom one day so I might not even like use my degree, which I don’t have a problem with
Rechelle: Well, who knows, you may end up dabbling elsewhere along the way.
00:35:02
I mean it just, it just all depends. Sometimes it's, you know, juggling a couple balls at the same time motherhood along with something and then sometimes it's, you know motherhood and nothing else. I mean really you get to pick; you get to pick how you want to do that and I don't think there's a really right or wrong answer. I think it has to it comes back to the values that you hold and how you and your partner want to, you know, move forward.
Mia: Mhm Yeah well yeah.
Rechelle: I'm excited to see the next chapter for Mia, I really am. Um wow. Well first of all in conclusion, let me say that you embody being unabashedly for sure you are completely unapologetic for who you are for your faith, and you get to be that you get to do that, and I really just want to speak that into you because that's so important to me that you get to be you right.
00:36:09
Um you know some of the women in our in our session, I mean some of the older women in our session, you can almost feel that they weren't necessarily able to fully be themselves and that that made me really sad. But you hear you are sort of the threshold of the whole thing, and you get to be that and do that. So, thank you for sharing with us your passion, your faith and you know some of the experiences you're having in college and You're 17 and you have a wonderful, God willing, very long, fruitful life ahead of you, thank you for being an inspiration. Do you have anything in conclusion that you'd like to say?
Mia: Mm I think you had a good conclusion. I really like what you said.
Rechelle: Good.
Mia: Well, thank you here, thank you for having me be a part of this.
00:37:11
Rechelle: Well, I'm just I love how it all worked out. I love, I just love from the water bottle onto like where we're talking about and all of a sudden, it's like, oh my gosh, you do, you do it. Yeah, do it okay. And then we're doing it and you know; I find it crazy how it worked out. I think it's wonderful. I think it's so wonderful. I love it. All right. And now I need to get to work because this is coming out tomorrow and I will send it to you in the morning. Thank you, Mia, from the bottom of my heart, truly thank you so much for spending this time with us. Really appreciate it. I appreciate you. Thank you.
Mia: My pleasure. Thank you Everyone who listened.
Rechelle: Okay bye.
Outro Music
Rechelle: I hope I was able to really speak life into who Mia is, what she believes. It is so important to me to give space for each person to be who they are. We need to be respectful, not shameful when others don't think, feel, believe the way we do. I realize this is not always easy to do, but it should be our goal.
00:38:22
Each person has their own journey, and they need to do it their own way. Thanks for reminding us of that Mia. The Unabashed You website has a page for each guest of photos quotes in a blog with embedded audio at unabashedyou.com. You can find the show and other podcast platforms. If you want to lend your support and encouragement, we invite you to subscribe, follow, rate, review and share on Instagram and Facebook. You can find us under unabashed you and if you want to connect via email [email protected] for questions, comments etcetera. If you want to be on our weekly email list highlighting that week's episode, give me a shout, I'd be happy to at you. Your info will not be shared, and you will only get that one email once a week. Website visits, social media, word of mouth and sharing this episode make us much more discoverable. Thank you for your support there. We want these conversations to help you think, celebrate who you are and move you in some way so continue to listen, read, and be inspired. May you go out into the world and be you. May you relish your passions, your challenges and even your shortcomings.
00:39:36
Be open to the shifts. Look for the gifts in the blessings and the hardships. It all makes you, you. Amen. Now go be unabashed. Be you.