New Year

And here we are again. New Year’s Eve. Another year is nearly gone and the next is literally only a few hours away. It is time again to make those New Year’s resolutions and to look back on what happened over the past 365 days. For me those two things go hand in hand. And this is how that New Year’s Resolution began…

“Today is the first day of the rest of my life. But it is also the first day of 2015. Which also happens to come very close to the close of an old chapter and the opening of a new one in my life. A chapter that held many great adventures. New places, some that will become a very big part of my life. New people. Some could stay for a very long time, some may just be passing through. This new chapter in my story, this chapter that begins with the opening of a new year, promises to be filled with adventures, both fantastic and terrifying. Challenges, some will be easy, some extremely difficult. And many changes, some minor, and some will change everything. Even though this New Year promises to hold many scary things, I know that there will be good things too.

In the beginning of a new year the idea of a new year’s resolution comes to mind. So, as most people’s New Year’s resolutions are things like eating healthier, exercising more, or to stop smoking, mine is a little different. My goal is to write one page a day. And by the end of the year I will have a story of my life in this New Year. I will be able to look back and see how much has changed. Because a lot can happen in a year. So, this is page one. Page one of a three hundred and sixty-five page book. A book that promises to be quite the adventure story.”

And so it began… I was going to write one page a day for the entire year. Every night, before I went to bed, I would write a page about what I did that day. It was kind of like a journal or a diary, but it was more like keeping a record of what happened over the past year. I would try to think of something good that happened each day. Sometimes I succeeded and sometimes I completely failed. Some entries did not make it to a full page and some expanded to over 4 pages long. But something I did not fail was keeping this New Year’s resolution. With the exception of maybe one or two entries that I ended up writing the day after they were supposed to, I did write about every single day.

Looking back at my year through these Page a Day entries I’ve realized that I have had a very… interesting year... It was a year of preparation. It was a year where much of what I did was in preparation for the adventures that would come in this coming year. Beginning with this blog. I started this blog a month or so before the New Year, but over this past year I have learned a lot by having a blog. I am learning to share my writing, I feel like I’m making a difference, and it just brings me so much joy to write! In January I got my braces on. I am unfortunately going to have them on a bit longer than I hoped, but I am almost done. I also bought a car this year!

Over the year I have lost a few people I thought would be in my life forever. People I never thought I would lose. But I have also gained quite a few people who will be in my life for a long time to come.

This year did hold some adventures, just not the ones I was expecting. I went camping by myself, I spent a week in Virginia Beach, and I went on many mini adventures to other random places. I did not end up back in Roatan. I can’t remember if I’ve ever mentioned that on this blog or not, if not, it is definitely a story for another time.

This year has been complicated and difficult for me, and I’m sure the same is true for many more. It definitely had its bad points, but we all must remember that there were good points too. Even though much of the year may have been difficult, we can look back and know, good or bad, everything that happened this year will prepare us for the year to come.

Writing my page a day has certainly helped me get a new perspective on life. It forced me to think back through what happened that day, it helped me to learn from my mistakes, gave me a place to write down my dreams, and even gave me inspiration for a few blog posts as I sorted out my thoughts. I will not continue my page a day, but I will continue to write in a journal this coming year. And I encourage you to do the same if you don’t already.

My New Year’s Resolution this year may or may not take less effort than last years. I will write one good thing that happens each day on a card. Then I will put that card in a jar. Then, at the end of the year, I will open that jar and see 365 good things that happened this year. Or, if I am having a bad day, I could open the jar and look at one. It will remind me that not every day is a bad one. I encourage you to do something similar if you can. We could all use a little motivation to find something good in every day. I look forward to seeing what good things I see at the end of the year. I don’t know about you, but for me, this upcoming year promises to be quite exciting.

What was your New Year’s Resolution? Did you succeed? How about this year’s resolution? Let me know in the comments!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

One Year Anniversary

A year ago today something very special happened. I worked up the courage to do something I never thought I would do. I began to share my writing in a way I never thought I could. I started this blog! And it has been quite a year!

It began as a way to get myself to share my writing without worrying about it so much. They would be short little glimpses into events and what I’ve learned from them, not big long chapter books or poems where every word holds multiple meanings. Less stressful that way.The first post was an explanation of what I hoped to do with my blog and that goal is still very much the same. I want to share my writing and what I learn from different experiences in hopes of encouraging my readers to do some pondering of their own. And through doing that, I hope to maybe make this crazy world we live in just a little bit brighter.

Yesterday I took some time to read through all of the posts, everything from my introduction to the most recent post in November. And something I noticed while I was reading was that it will be a little difficult to write posts this next year because I already wrote about quite a few holidays and those are the easiest posts to write! But that’s ok, I’m sure I’ll find plenty of other things to write about.

I also noticed that through this year of writing these blog posts my writing style has, and continues to, get deeper. In the first few posts they are light hearted and simple. Later posts hold more meaning, they are more personal. And as I continue into this next year of blogging I hope to find a nice balance of the two.

And finally, as I read through all these posts, I realized that I have quite a few favorites. “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, ”Many Hats”, “Street Sweeper”, “Life’s a Circus” and “Nature Walk” just to name a few. I hope to add a few more to that list as I continue to write.

I look forward to this next year of writing new blog posts and I hope all of you continue to read them! And please feel free to share my blog with your friends and family! Thank you all for your support!  Do you have a favorite blog post of mine? Let me know in the comments!

If you would like to stay updated on when I post a new post or any other writing I’m doing, please feel free to like my Facebook page! Just look up “Jessica Page” and it should come up, or click on the link on the upper right hand corner of this page.

Thank you for reading! Here’s to another year!

Shoe Box

Ok. You just bought a new pair of shoes and now you need to get rid of the box. But before you do that, think about that single shoe box. Now, imagine 100 of those shoe boxes. How about thousands? Millions? Now imagine every single one of those thousands and thousands of shoe boxes filled to the top with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items like soap and toothbrushes. Now imagine that every single one of those boxes, each and every one, will go to a child who won’t otherwise get a Christmas present this year. Children in need who don’t have things like pencils and toothbrushes. This has been the goal of Samaritans Purse with Operation Christmas Child every year since 1993 and I am so proud to be a part of it for so many years.

For as long as I can remember I have packed at least one shoe box a year with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for kids all over the world. I remember that I would often have one special box every year. One box that would be for a girl about my age and it would have some items that I pick out special, things like rubber ducks or knee high socks. Things that I really enjoy. Then I would write a letter introducing myself to the little girl who would receive my box. Sometimes I would even get a letter back! In addition to this one little box I would pack dozens of others. Ever since I was little I have been amazed by how good it feels to know that I had a part in bringing joy to children all over the world!

Last year I helped pack 82 boxes, this year I had a part in packing 108  boxes. One hundred and eight smiling children! And that will only be a small part of the eleven million Operation Christmas Child hopes to get this year! It amazes me every year that God can use me here, right here at home, to make such a difference for a child, or a hundred children, in another country!

I look forward to packing boxes every single year. And I look forward to the day when I can pack boxes with my own children. It is a wonderful experience that means so much to those doing the packing, those who deliver, and those who receive them. And it all starts with something as simple as one single shoe box.

 

If you want to join in on this wonderful event there is still time! The week for pickup is November 16^th to the 23^rd. This week! Just fill a box and get it to one of the pickup spots. Or you can plan to do them next year! You can find out more information on their website www.samaritanspurse.org I know, I’m starting to sound like a commercial, but this is just such an amazing event that means so much! It has become a tradition in my house, maybe, if it isn’t already, it will become a tradition in yours too!

Have you ever packed a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child? Tell me in the comments!

 

Cinderella

“Your voice is as beautiful as you are”

I was at a party and my sister and I had just finished playing some music around the bonfire. That was when this twenty year old guy came up to me and gave me this complement.

“Your voice is as beautiful as you are”

I have had guys do things for me before because they thought I was cute. Young waiters going out of their way to make sure my meal is as enjoyable as possible, the young guy collecting carts at Walmart going out of his way to come get mine so I don’t have to put it away myself, I’ve even had a guy at school ask for my number once, but never one so brave as to complement me as this one had. It intrigued me.

Once I got home I started trying to figure out who this guy was. I looked all over Facebook trying to see if I could find him. Not because I wanted to date him, not because I wanted to be friends with him even, simply because I wanted to know the identity of the guy who called me beautiful. I felt like Prince Charming searching for Cinderella. But this guy was certainly not my one true love. So what was I doing? That was when I came across this quote.

“Don’t spend any time this week chasing after a guy. A Godly man will pursue you when the time is right.”

I didn’t need to be Prince Charming; I was supposed to be Cinderella. I know we all have this problem, guys and girls alike. We’re all searching for our one true love when what we should be doing is living our lives as God wants, and then, when the time is right, that one true love will come. When the time is right I will know who I’m supposed to be with. When the time is right he will come to me and we will live happily ever after. I know this guy was probably just hitting on me because I was the only girl his age at the party. Or maybe he really did want to get to know me. I may never know. But either way, I will wait. I will go back to my life after the ball and my prince, whoever that may be, will come to me when the time is right; when God prepares him to do so. There is time to be patient. There is time to wait for your happily ever after. Because in this world, the magic doesn’t wear off at midnight.

Fall is Beautiful

As the air becomes crisp, the water is too cold to swim in, and the leaves begin to change, we begin to dread that winter is on its way and summer is over. But why must we think so far ahead? What is wrong with right now? Yes, summer is gone, winter is on its way, but fall is here now, and it is beautiful.

We often spend our time thinking about the past or the future, never the present. What we said in the past, what that person did, what our future will bring, but all too rarely what we are doing and who we are with right at this moment. I myself am guilty of this, I know. My future is a daily conversation recently. Either that or thinking about what I did in the past, regrets, or wishing I was younger. But that's when I know it's time to get a new perspective.

Yes, the past and the future are important. But so is right now. This exact second only happens once in your lifetime. If we spent all our time behind us or ahead of us then we would never see what’s here now. We need to enjoy the people we are currently with, not busy making plans with someone else. Stop spending our time worrying about what tomorrow will bring and just enjoy whatever today has to offer.

When I find myself stuck in the past or stuck in the future, I know it's time to step back and look at the big picture. That is when I climb a mountain and look at the sea of those red, orange, and yellow leaves that fall is so famous for. There is nothing like climbing to the top of a mountain in the fall to gain a new perspective on life. Seeing all that land, the lakes and trees and the big open sky. I realize that there is this huge, beautiful world we live in and we don’t have to see the whole thing at once. Enjoying just a little bit of it at a time is ok. And if we don’t stop and take the time to enjoy it while it’s here, as fall is a very short season where I live, then it will be gone and we would have missed it. A lot can be missed if our heads are stuck in the past or the future and not the present.

So, I challenge you to take a break from looking at the past and the future, but to look at the present moment for a while. Climb a mountain and admire God's creation as it is right now, today, this very moment. Because fall is here. And it is beautiful.

 

Butterfly

“When God pushes you to the edge of the cliff, trust him fully, only two things can happen, either He will catch you when you fall, or He’ll teach you how to fly”

I don’t know where or when I heard this quote. I don’t know who said it. But I do know that it has made an impact on my life. I am at a point in my life between childhood and adulthood. It’s a place I don’t like to be. I don’t want to grow up. I say I have the Peter Pan Syndrome. But that is a story for another day. Right now let’s focus on learning to fly.

The time has come again when the Monarch Butterflies start to make an appearance. I remember when my sister and I were little we would go out and search the milkweed for monarch caterpillars. We would put them in jars and feed them leaves and watch them grow. Then one day they would create their little green and gold trimmed cocoon and would just hang there for what a couple impatient little girls would think was forever. Then their cocoon would become almost clear and we could see those orange and black wings inside. Finally they would break out and stretch their wings. We would open the lid and watch as they dry their wings on the edge of the jar and eventually fly away. As I watch the butterflies flutter around in the goldenrod today I started to realize that we are kind of like butterflies. We are cute little caterpillars who eventually go into their little cocoon and begin to transform. We decide who we are, who we want to be, we start to prepare for our future. Then, when the time is right, we break free and fly away. We might fall the first few times, but we get it eventually.

But what does this have to do with the quote?

“When God pushes you to the edge of the cliff, trust him fully, only two things can happen, either He will catch you when you fall, or He’ll teach you how to fly”

This year has been a year of preparations for me. Taking time off from school to decide what I want to do, getting my braces on and hopefully off, getting my driver’s license. I’m in my cocoon, figuring out who I’m going to be, preparing for what is to come. A cocoon most might consider I’ve been in a little too long… A few weeks ago I went on a trip that helped me see what my future holds just a little clearer. It also will help me better prepare myself for what that future will hold. It was the beginning of my breaking out of my own little cocoon.

Soon I will find myself on the edge of the jar, ready to try to fly. Honestly, it scares me. And I might fall. But I must trust that if I do fall God will catch me. Or, if the time is right, He will teach me to fly. And He will do the same for you. If you are in the same place as me, standing on the edge of that jar, hesitant about spreading your wings, maybe it’s time to make the jump. Don’t be afraid to spread your wings and fly.

Nature Walk

 

I took a walk in the woods yesterday to clear my head. I often do that. Just walk along the trails in the woods on my property and listen to the silence. And before too long that silence is broken. But not with the sounds of people and cars and things, but with the crunch of leaves beneath my feet. The buzz of bees and flies and other insects flying around my head. The chirping of the crickets in the tall grass. The birds singing in the trees. The wind rustling the leaves. That is the kind of silence I like best. It’s natures silence.

And as I walk I begin to notice things. Things I wouldn’t have noticed before in the midst of people and noise. Too many distractions. I hear a rustling by me feet and look down to find a tiny snake slither across the path. I smiled as I watched him disappear among the raspberry bushes. One of Gods most interesting of creatures. It is amazing how a snake can move without legs. He is perfectly and uniquely created so he can fulfill his purpose in life. No one else’s, just his. Then there are the butterflies flying from one spot in the sea of golden rod to another. Once caterpillars, now butterflies. One of the most amazing transformations in all of God’s creation. A row of ants march across the grass, all knowing exactly where they need to go. How can they know? Every one of God’s creations have a purpose. Every single one. Every animal, every plant, and every person. So then why do I find myself wondering if I have a purpose? What is my purpose? When will I know what it is?

A little yellow butterfly flits about my feet. Seemingly without direction. Lost. I feel a bit like that butterfly as I try to find my way in this life. Just flying around trying to decide where to go. So many choices. So many flowers to choose from. Afraid I won’t pick the right one. Afraid I will go the wrong way. Afraid...

I watch the shadows in the forest. Beyond the well-marked path. They begin to frighten me. My heartbeat quickens. Fear of the unknown. Fear of what lies beyond the path that is laid out before me. The path I know is safe and leads straight back home. But if we stay on the same path all our lives for fear of getting lost, then where will we ever go? We will never travel beyond our childhood home. Never explore new things that go beyond that safe path. You must learn to see the beauty in the shadows rather than be afraid of what may lay beyond them. The best adventures hide beyond the shadows. Sometimes we need to take the path into the woods. Not the one that's well mowed and traveled many times before. The new one. One that you make yourself. One meant only for you. And there is where you will find your purpose. That is where I will find my purpose.

Just like the snake and the butterfly and the ants, God has made me with a purpose in mind. He has made each and every one of us with a specific purpose in mind. But if we never stray from the safe path we were on as children, all nicely mowed and with clear boundaries, then how will we ever find that purpose? Eventually we have to decide we don’t have to be afraid of the shadows and what may lay beyond them. Eventually we need to learn that our purpose lays beyond the well-marked path.

Go beyond the well-marked path. That is what I am about to do. I am about to embark on an adventure that will help me find that purpose. Hopefully I will come back with some answers. And hopefully I will come back with some more inspiration for more posts! If you have any stories about when you made the decision to go out on your own and find your purpose I would love to hear them!

 

 

 

Life's a Circus

The day began with a dream about a circus. Some friends and I were putting together a circus. Nothing crazy, just a few acts. But we hadn't even picked the music, costumes, or choreographed any thing before mom was inviting people and literally selling tickets to people we didn't even know. I kept trying to tell her that we weren't ready yet. But She wouldn't listen. She jumped ahead of herself, just like so many of us do these days.

Before I explain my point, perhaps I should explain why I would have a dream about putting on a circus in the first place. So, why would I have a dream about putting on a circus? It does seem like a strange thing to dream about. But not for me. When I wasn’t much younger than I am now, my sister and I, and occasionally some other friends, would put together a circus over the summer. We would pick songs and put together acts. Gymnastics, dance routines, clown acts, hula hooping, lion taming. It was crazy the things we would come up with. Then, on the day of the big performance we were all excited. The tickets were sold, the guests were taking their seats, and after weeks of planning and practicing the circus was about to begin. But let’s back up a bit. None of that can happen properly if the guests arrive before any of that practicing and planning is done like what happened in my dream. Everything must go in the correct order.

A lot of work and preparation goes into a performance. You need to find the performers and an announcer,  figure out acts and music, choreograph the acts, put together costumes, choosing the right order for the acts so that no one has too many acts in a row, and then hours and hours of practicing, deciding when it's going to take place, “selling” tickets. Then, after all that, is when you can have the performance. It takes a lot of work. You can’t have the performance before you do any of the planning. Well, you could, but it wouldn’t be a very good performance. So then why am I so impatient to get to the big performances in my life before I do the rest? 

Life is like a circus. We all have a series of big performances in our lives. From learning to walk to getting married, life is full of both little and big performances. Main acts and sideshows. But those performances don’t just happen. Every one requires a lot of planning beforehand. Before you can walk you need to crawl. Before you can get married you need to plan the wedding. Some take only a little planning and some take years of planning and preparation. Recently I have been having trouble doing the little things that come before the big performance. I find it to be tedious and I just want the big day to come already. But, just like those circuses we would put on when we were little, everything must be done in the right order. I need to plan, practice, and prepare for the big performance that is to come.

I do love the planning that goes into the circus performance. So I should enjoy the planning and practicing that comes in life. All the little things that come before the big changes. The big performances. Because life is a circus. And sometimes the performance doesn’t go as planned, like when we forgot an important prop for one of our circus acts and had to pause the whole show, but if it wasn’t for the hours and hours of preparation that goes on behind the curtain, then the show would have been an even bigger disaster than that. We would have forgotten much more than just the goldfish crackers. So remember that the preparation is what is done behind the scenes to make the performance fantastic. Don’t jump ahead of yourself like I’ve been doing recently. Enjoy all the hard work that goes into making that performance a success. Because that feeling that you get when you take your final bow after a lot of hard work is so much sweeter than when you jump ahead of yourself and expect it to all fall into place on its own.

Life’s a circus. So enjoy the show. And everything that goes into making that show possible.

 

 

 

 

 

The Definition of a Friend

Friends. I’ve been thinking a lot about friends recently and how at times it seems I don’t have any. So when a friend of mine took the time to send me a Facebook message a few weeks ago making sure I knew how much he appreciated my friendship, I was touched. And intrigued. I began thinking about who a friend really is.

What is a friend? What does the word "friend" even mean? The official dictionary definition is "a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection" Yes, that may be true. But what does the word "friend" mean to you? We all say we have friends, or sometimes that we don't have any friends. There are different levels of friends, different labels that society has put on relationships. There are strangers, then acquaintances, people you work with, people you go to school with. And somewhere along the line you start labeling people as friends, just friends, good friends, best friends, more than friends. There are endless categories to define relationships. But every one of those categories means something different to every person. Everyone has a different definition for who a friend is to them. Is it someone who is always there for you no matter what? Or is it someone who is always ready to laugh at your jokes? Someone who knows what your favorite movies are? Someone who just bothers to say hi to you in the hallway? Or is it someone who just asks you to be their friend on Facebook?

The word “friend” has come to mean anything from someone you barely know who just happens to be your friend on Facebook, to someone you tell everything to. It is amazing how many meanings one word can have. What is important is that you know what the word means to you, and that your friends know the same. Because there are many different levels, and everyone chooses a different quality that their definition of a friend would have. It is important that everyone is on the same page when it comes to the meaning of the word.

So, what is my definition of a friend? Well, My definition of a friend is someone who isn't afraid to tell me the truth when I do something wrong, but at the same time would be sympathetic and try to help me through the mess I got myself into. Someone who would be there for me when I need it most, but also when I’m just looking for someone to hang out with. Someone who, not only shows that they are my friend by making an effort to stay in my life, but will also come out and tell me that they want to be my friend. Someone who wants to be my friend and isn’t afraid to admit it.

These may seem like high expectations, but is it a bad thing to have high expectations when it comes to our relationships? The problem comes when we do not live up to our own expectations. If you expect your friend to be there for you in your time of need, you should be ready and willing to be there for them in theirs. It is also important that you both know where you stand with each other. My friend helped me understand this by saying that he appreciates my friendship. I then told him much the same thing. It’s mutual, much like the dictionary definition, "a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection." Make sure your friends know what they mean to you today.

Everyone has a different definition for the word “friend.” What is your definition of a friend? Tell me in the comments!

   

 

Life Coach

“Thank you” she said as she handed me a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card. It was our last night of swimming lessons and the mother of one of the little swimmers in level one decided she needed to thank us for spending some extra time with her scared son. Then she continued on saying that she had asked him if he remembered our names and he had said “well, there’s Miss Jessica. She’s our life coach” we all laughed, he confused a life coach with a lifeguard. But then I stopped because, little did he know how accurate he actually was. I don’t claim to be the go to person to talk to about your problems. I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do strive to be a good friend and that is almost the same thing. I started thinking about it and realized we are all life coaches in one way or another, or at least we should be, even if we don’t claim the title.

A life coach’s job is to be there to help someone through their problems. This job should be everyone’s job. We were not put on this earth to live alone. Whether you are a grandparent, a parent, a brother or sister, a mentor, or a good friend, you are someone’s life coach. You are the person who is there for them when they need you most. And if you need help, they will be there for you too. It doesn’t always work this way, especially in today’s society where people expect help but don’t want to give any. We need to change that.

Whether you call yourself a “life coach” or not, you should always be there for the people in your life who need you. Everyone has problems and we do have the ability to fix them or help them through them. Whether you give advice, or you are the shoulder to cry on, or the encourager of a much needed laugh, or are the person to talk to, you are acting as a kind of life coach. Whether you sacrifice your time to a late night conversation, simply let someone know you’re thinking of them through a quick text, or give some extra time to a scared swimmer, just being there is the best way to be a good life coach. This life is hard. Everyone has problems. We must all help each other through this difficult life. I suggest you go be someone’s life coach today. Let them know you’re there for them. We weren’t meant to get through this life alone.

Hakuna Matata

"Hakuna Matata" we all know the phrase. "It means no worries, for the rest of your days" But it's not that easy. Is it? It can be. At least that's what everyone keeps telling me.

I was sitting in a field on a warm fall day when Hakuna Matata came on my Pandora station. That got me thinking. Can it be true? Can it be that easy? Can I simply decide to have no worries and be optimistic? Now, sitting here in March, impatiently waiting for the snow to melt already, the thought occurred to me again. Can I just decide to be optimistic? And have it actually work?

Here is what it comes down to. Happiness is a conscious choice. You may think that it is involuntary, it just happens. But it's not. You can choose to be happy or sad. Angry or pleased. It is all how you see the world. How you choose to see the world.

I have to admit, I can be pessimistic at times, see the worst in everything. I admit that I have been just that for most of this winter, along with many others I know. But I also know how to be positive, and it is hard, but possible. It can be done, it just takes a lot of practice and willpower.

There are many ways to force yourself into a positive attitude. For example, when I catch myself being pessimistic, I force myself to think of something positive. Just one positive thing that happened that day. Even on the worst day ever, there is always something good to take from it. It can be really small, but it will be there. And if you can find that one good thing it will make all the difference. Once I find that one thing, before I know it I find more good things. The list begins to grow. Day by day I become more optimistic and less pessimistic.

If this isn’t enough, I also like to do my favorite thing in the world. I write. Whether getting my feelings out on paper, or using my imagination to create a new story, writing always has a way of putting me in a better mood.

Sometimes, I literally force myself to laugh. Watch a funny movie or TV show, start a conversation with someone who always makes me laugh. Whatever it is, as long as it gets me laughing it’s worth it. When they say “laughter is the best medicine” they aren’t kidding.

Finally, I like to listen and/or sing positive music. Such as Hakuna Matata of course! This rarely fails to put me in a better mood.

I have tried all of these things during this winter that seems to be going on forever. It’s a slow process, I admit, but it is working. And I know if I keep at it, it will become easier and easier to stay positive.

Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. As time goes on it takes less and less work to do so. These are merely a few ways I like to stay positive, what do you do to put yourself into a better mood? Let me know in the comments! Hakuna Matata!

 

 

   

Swimming

"Who goes swimming anyway?" says some random young guy who walks past me in the hallway as I leave work. Finally going home after lifeguarding and teaching swimming lessons.

"I was just swimming earlier" I respond. I had actually found some time to get in the pool and swim. A rare occurrence.

"I don't like water" he says as I walk out the door with a smile on my face, swimming put me in a good mood.

It’s a shame some people don’t enjoy the water like I do. But then I started to wonder, why do I swim? Why on earth do I like to swim? It's such a hassle! I have to change, get in the cold water. Getting out is even worse. Drying off, then going out in the cold with wet hair. So why do I bother? I never want to at first, but then while I’m swimming it is so therapeutic, so refreshing. I feel awesome after I swim. Like it cleared my head of all that was troubling it.

I don't swim nearly as much anymore. I became a lifeguard and a swim instructor and could no longer find the time in my day. I didn’t want to spend more time at the pool than I had to. Then why do I continue to teach swimming lessons and lifeguard if it takes so much time away from my love of swimming? Because it has its own rewards. I have the unique opportunity to show children how swimming can be fun. I can encourage them to do the best they can and more than they ever thought they could. I can praise them when they show improvement. I get excited when they make the jump from hating swimming lessons, or being scared of the water, to loving to swim. Some days are difficult, but some can be incredibly rewarding.

So, “who goes swimming anyway?” I do. And I hope to play a part in helping children want to go swimming too. Maybe that young guy would like to swim if he had a better experience as a child. Maybe I can make the difference between these children loving or hating the water. It’s my place in this world right now, and I take on the challenge proudly.

Valentine's Day

Well, it’s February again! That means Valentine’s Day. The candy hearts have been out since Christmas and the flower shops are getting ready for their big orders. You would think that a fairytale loving girl like myself would love valentine’s day, and I do think it has its good qualities, but in general I can’t stand it. It’s the day where the love birds show their love to each other and the people who haven’t found that special someone yet feel incredibly left out.

The most obvious reason I don’t like Valentine’s Day is that, like many people, I don’t have that love of my life to celebrate the day with yet. It is just a day that reminds me that I still haven’t found my prince charming yet. It is a day that almost forces you to have a boyfriend or girlfriend just so you aren’t the one person who isn’t doing something romantic on Valentine’s Day, which I find to be ridiculous and disgusting. True, I long for the day when my prince charming will get me flowers on Valentine’s Day. But I want to wait for him; I want him to be the right Prince Charming, not someone I picked out just so I didn’t feel left out on some random day in February.

But once someone finds that special someone to show their love to on Valentine’s Day, why does it only have to be on February 14^th? If you really love someone you do not need a specific day to show it. You should show your love for that special someone every day of the year. And who said Valentine’s Day had to be a day to only show love to your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife? Why not show love to your family and friends? Everyone deserves to know that someone is thinking about them on Valentine’s Day, and every other day for that matter.

So, this fairytale loving girl will go another Valentine’s Day without finding her Prince Charming, but that won’t stop me from showing everyone else in my life that I love them this Valentine’s Day, and every other day. I hope that you will do the same. Whether you have found your special someone yet or not, show everyone you love them. Whether it be on February 14^th, June 23^rd, October 5^th, or any other random day, never let a day go by without letting the people you love know that you love them. It is easy to forget sometimes, but it means so much.

 

Street Sweeper

Today we celebrate a great man who was not afraid to stand up for what he believed in. He was intelligent and charismatic and convinced hundreds upon hundreds of people to follow him and fight for equality. Everyone recognizes his “I have a dream” speech, but it is his less well known speech called “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life” that I find to be my favorite because it’s not just about equality, it is something that everyone should listen to, regardless of race.

In this speech Martin Luther King Jr. talks about how you should be the best at whatever you do. Even if you are a simple street sweeper you should be the best street sweeper you can be. Too many people today see their job as just a job. It is just a stepping stone to the next, hopefully better one. So they don’t care if they do their job well, they won’t be there long so it doesn’t matter. But how can you expect to find a better job, get a raise, or be promoted if you aren’t an outstanding employee? Every job is important. No job is so low that it should not be done well.

“What I’m saying to you this morning, my friends, even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry;” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. wanted everyone to be the best at whatever they do. He wanted them to work hard and earn what they receive. He wanted them to treat everything they do as important and meaningful, because it is.

Even if you are just flipping burgers at McDonalds, be the best burger flipper you can be. If you are just a street sweeper, “sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, "Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well."

 

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A day to celebrate a great man who continues to inspire people long after he is gone. 

 

Many Hats

Today is National Hat Day. I have many different hats, both literally and metaphorically. Literally I have over twenty different hats of all different styles, colors, and for all different occasions. I have fedoras, some for every day wear and some for when I'm a spy. I have sun hats of all the colors of the rainbow for at the beach. Then, if that wasn't enough, I also have a classic pirate tri-corner hat for when I'm a pirate, a few Santa hats for Christmas time, and some top hats for being the Mad Hatter. Then I have three or four real, statement hats, two of which require a very special occasion to wear. Each of these hats calls for a different occasion, a different outfit, a different costume, a different identity. This brings me to the metaphorical side of things.

I am a writer, I am also a swimmer, I am a college graduate with my associates degree, I like to decorate cakes, and I like to create movies, I am a collector of knee high socks, and apparently a collector of hats. I am many different things and am proud of every single one of them. As I continue to go through life I will continue to collect hats, hobbies, occupations, labels I will go by. One day I hope to add author to the list along with many more including wife and mother. Some of the hats will be lost or forgotten over time, while many more will be added. Each one will be used for a different reason.

My mother gave a speech with a similar hat centered theme at my graduation celebration last month. The thing that stuck out to me the most was that she said some hats will be difficult to wear, but that God would always give you the right hat for the situation. I believe that this is true and I look forward to seeing what hats He has in store for me in the future. Whatever hats you wear, whether literally or metaphorically, wear them proudly today and every other day.

Happy National Hat Day!

Saying Goodbye

A good friend of mine left recently. I knew it would be a long time before I would get to see him again and I was having a hard time saying goodbye. Then I started really listening to what he was telling me and what I have told many people in the past. It’s not good bye.

In many of the stories I have written, the characters have to say goodbye with a good chance they will never see each other again. However, they always seem to find strength. They know that it doesn’t have to be goodbye for good. But sometimes it is just so easy telling someone what they need to hear, but then when you’re in the same situation, it is so difficult to believe it yourself. I was in that situation when my friend left and I found myself looking at my own stories for encouragement.

It is hard when someone you care about leaves. Especially if you know you won’t see them for a very long time, or possibly never again. But that is just how it is going to be; it is going to be hard, even if you are prepared for it. Sometimes you just have to open yourself up to what is being said. Sometimes it will be what God is telling you, sometimes it will be through other people, sometimes even through your own subconscious like I found in my stories. You have to believe that, if it is meant to be, your paths will cross again. I know from experience that it is easier to tell someone that than to believe it yourself, but I also know from experience that it is true. I know that I will continue to have a hard time saying goodbye; I know that you probably will too. However, if we remember that it’s not good bye, just farewell until next time, then parting ways might be a little bit easier.

What do you do to make saying goodbye a little easier? Tell me in the comments! Farewell until next time!