Those were the days... (<i>repost</i>)

This is a repost, just in case you wanted to read this at all...

Back in school, I was considered one of the smartest kids around, but now, things have changed...

Yea those were the days. I was one of the intelligent ones, and that was my crown. I was a writer, and a very good one at that. I knew so much and people were just amazed at me sometimes. "He's just so intelligent", teachers would praise. "He's one of the smart ones," fellow students wuold say.

But as time went on things gradually changed. I began to grow bored, tired and fed up with school. I started failing classes, stopped doing work, nearly gave up entirely. I could feel the crown i had worn so proudly crumbling and turning to dust upon my very head. I saw others ise up in my place. they took my praise, took my commendation. Where was my attention? Where was my applause? Gone, faded away.

Then i took a cold hard look at the world that had been set up before me by so many teachers and fellow students. "You're smart. College would be great for you. YOu'd blossom there, you'd learn so much. It'd be great for you to be around others like you."

Others like you. Smart people. Intelligent. But i had come to hate those intelligent people, a group who discarded God and truth and light, and sunk into fruitles argumets about human philosophy. Right there i made my choice. I told my techers i wasnt going to college. I got rid of all the letters i'd recieved from colleges asking me to attend thiers. I had made a major decision.

But now school is over and i have escaped its treacherous machine. Many times i was nearly swalloed by it, even almost accepting atheist beliefs. But I am hence free. So what is next? What should i do now? My heat hungers to learn and absorb knowledge, to find the secrets to deep things, to search and actually find. Such knowledge no mere human school can give me. I seek no crown of intelligence, only knowledge and wisdom, and the ability to impart truth and light. To know, and to learn, and to teach is what i seek.

Then I thought about what my teacher said. How great it would be to live and work round "other like me." Where else could i live and work around "others like me", sincere worshippers of Jehovah who wholeheartedly wanted to give him praisee and service? At this time is when i set my heart towards Bethel service. I came to the conclusion in my mind and heart that Bethel must one day be my home, and i would have t let nothing nor anyone stop me from getting there. Be cause nothing, NOTHING, would ever be worth more that serving Jehovah there. A DAY in Jehovah's temple is better that a thousand elsewhere. And when in paradise i look back on my days of Bethel service i know i will certainly say, with a hearty sigh and smile on my face, "boy, those were the days."

sorry to erase comments said before!!