A Very Short Bio on Jonathan Kline

It’s very hard to define who I am because, like many people, I’m a lot of different things. I'm a teacher who relishes the chance to play with toys all day and change the lives of little kids. I'm an adventurer who wants to see the world and explore all the beautiful things this place has to offer. I'm a laid back guy who loves spending time outside, writing, reading, or playing games. I'm a grilled cheese aficionado, history and animal nerd, a guy who spends more time daydreaming in his own world than living in this one, and a guy that can quote way too much SpongeBob. Perhaps its good to be a little bit of everything: an introvert that loves spending time with his family and friends, a writer that spends too much time distracted by video games or doodling, an ice cream enthusiast who only ever gets vanilla. Ultimately, I think the person I am is always changing. Right now, I'm a grad student who gets to work at an amazing job, have great friends, and live somewhere I love. But where I am now is never somewhere I would have imagined.

You'll come to notice I only have the same five-six poses no matter what picture I'm in, how old I am (15), or where I am.

I grew up in a very small hamlet not terribly far from Albany, New York, and enjoyed a great childhood with a close knitted family. I was much more reserved and quieter in middle school and high school than I am now, and although a lot of that had to do with being an introvert in general, a lot came from dealing with my Mom’s diagnosis of cancer when I was 12. The next four years were incredibly tough: chemo treatments, tumor growths, and wondering how much longer it could all go on. And yet, despite everything, my Mom always had a positive attitude throughout. She encouraged me to hold onto my faith and to simply take matters one day at a time. When I lost her at sixteen, I struggled for a long, long time in dealing with a sense of doubt, loneliness, and grief I’d never felt before. But I’ve come to find that, when it comes down to it, holding onto faith, keeping a positive attitude, and simply taking life one step at a time, I might be able to get through not only such a terrible loss as that, but any other challenge life might throw at me.

I don’t know why bad things happen. But I do know that God can use them to transform us into someone stronger and better than we used to be. And for me, that took a while. I struggled through my senior year of high school, navigating friendships and dealing with grief and depression that took a huge toll on me. But as hard as it was, I found incredible support from my classmates, friends, teachers, and even random strangers. I found myself one step closer toward healing and toward becoming the person I knew my Mom would want me to be. As I graduated and entered my first year of college at Columbia Greene, I faced new battles: my first job, having my license, keeping up with a college workload, and a new sense of loneliness.

Along the way, I discovered my passions. I found out that I really enjoy going on hikes in the mountains and the woods. I discovered I’m halfway decent with a camera, and not terribly bad at drawing and art. I like going on bike rides, eating chicken parm, and lying out on the hammock to read a good book or simply listen to the birds. I like movies that involve swords and adventure, and practicing sword fighting with my little wooden sword. Although I’d known for a while a was a good writer, I decided in college to finally give writing a real try and begin writing my own book, Rise of a Warrior. Though it’s been in the works for a while and gone through many different phases, I was able to find something that I both enjoyed, and that offered comfort through a difficult time. I liked history, which was good since I was a history education major, and I liked teaching, or at least the idea of it as a career.

Next thing you know, two years go down the road and you’re onto the next phase of life: graduating community college and transferring to SUNY New Paltz. And although I was scared and slightly intimidated, for the first time in my life, I was confident that I was heading the right way and that it would all work out to make me the very best me there could be. I made friends with my suitemates instantly, enjoyed the change of pace from community college, and I took a liking to being on my own. I felt a new kind of independence and freedom that I’d never felt, and knew that as I explored a new world, I was exploring myself and my limits. I wouldn’t exactly call myself ‘adventurous’; I never have been, at least in the traditional sense of being spontaneous or careless. But I like to think I’m curious, determined to try and do my best, and perhaps even a little ambitious. Being at New Paltz helped spark all of these traits, not to mention how much I benefited socially. I was, for the first time, confident, outspoken, able to pursue my ambitions and to call myself at least somewhat more ‘adventurous’. And as I prepared to study abroad in Australia the next semester, I was certainly ready for whatever might face me.

Going to Australia was the first time in my life I personally sought out something unknown or uncomfortable. Things were going great in college, so why risk it going into uncharted waters? Well, much like going to New Paltz to begin with, I had a new sense of adventure and ambition, as well as a desire for independence and growth. I’d always wanted to go to Australia, and once there it was a dream come true. Months packed of stories and adventure (much more than I can describe here), new lands to discover and experiences to enjoy, and lots of people who made the trip as special as it was. I traveled through the Outback on a camel caravan, visited Sydney Opera House, tried my hand at surfing on the Great Ocean Road, and even went scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

But, in a way, it was a dream. I realized, fairly slowly, that as much as I had anticipated Australia to be the big defining factor in starting a new life, it wasn’t. I thought I’d find a job, a home, a girl perhaps, over there. I thought I’d find myself. Who I am, what I’m meant to do. And I didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, Australia was the trip of a lifetime, and a defining moment of my life. But for the greatness and grandeur I’d expected, I left realizing that instead, it was lots of little things that made Australia different, special, and impactful.

See? Same pose (basically) five years later.

Over time, I slowly begun to realize that that doesn’t just apply to my trip to Australia; it’s life in general. It’s all made up of lots of small pieces, memories, places, people, etc. Coming back to the states, I grew to understand that life is all about those smaller pieces, not about grandness. The people who matter most to me: my parents, sister, cousins, family, and friends. The places that I most enjoy: the mountains, my grandparent’s house, the local bagel shop and anywhere with good ice cream. The things I enjoy, whether it be writing, horseback riding, or simply a sunset drive on a windy road. Playing video games with the mates, going on a bike ride with Dad, even grocery shopping with my sister Shelby. Sitting out by the river meditating after a long week. Going hiking or watching movies with cousins. Baking cookies for the family, mates, or just for yourself.

Of course, there's a lot of things that make me me. But there's also the things that we do, the things we aspire to be, and the course life takes you on as you fulfill your purpose. And while discovering yourself is one journey, discovering what you're meant to be is another. Graduating New Paltz, I suddenly realized that I was relatively clueless about where life was supposed to take me next, and what I was meant to do. But sometimes, destiny hits you, and almost by accident I found myself teaching preschool: doing the same thing my mother did as a teacher. I'm amazed that I get to carry on her legacy in such a way as changing the world for little lives, and though it's taken time I've found out I'm actually a pretty good teacher. And just as I've been teaching children, I've learned a couple lessons as well: how to believe in yourself, how to have patience and hope and compassion.

Then of course, as everything was at an all time high, everything stopped with the pandemic. I had to relearn, rebelieve all those lesson I'd learned throughout my life. Take things one step at a time. Keep a positive attitude. Remember to hold on to your passions and all that makes you unique. Relish the little things over the big things. And most importantly, have faith: in your family, in your friends, in God, in yourself. As the world slowly but surely opened back up, I rediscovered how important it was to have friends and pursue your dreams.

Now, here I am, going to graduate school for the same thing my mother did so many years ago. I've both made great friends and kept great friends throughout my journey. I've travelled to places I once only ever dreamed of, and have that thirst to keep going. My life now is hardly what I ever expected it to be, especially when I lost my mom. I’m not even really sure what it all is, to be honest. But wherever my life has brought me, and wherever it continues to, I go with determination, ambition, and confidence that I can change the world in some small way. That I continue to find my purpose and enjoy every small, miniscule detail of life that is thrown at me. That I can carry my mother's legacy wherever I go, and shine a Light into the world.

-updated July 2nd, 2023