Just like a million other people, one of my favorite Bible passages has always been 1 Corinthians 13, but my favorite part reads, "...and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." It it is probably wholeheartedly one of the most beautiful lines I have ever read. It's completely simplistic, yet so powerful. It's such a precious reminder that having any meaning in life requires you to give yourself and allow yourself to be received in love by ALL people. Although you may have faith, without the burning fire in your heart for what you believe in, it all means nothing.
It seems like just a simple request, yet can be one of the most difficult tasks to fulfill. I profess that I want to love all people, yet I constantly catch myself saying something negative about another. I constantly catch myself pointing judgment at another. I constantly say one thing and do the opposite. Loving seems like such an easy thing to do, yet I make it almost impossible at times. You don't have to pay for love, it's free. You just have to make up your mind that how you live and stroll down your path, you do it with the intention of a pure heart, open to growth and all people, in all walks of life.
However, at this moment in time, whatever it may be...I'm making the decision to love ALL selflessly. To cherish each friendship formed and unformed. To be at peace with God and one's self is the most beautiful state of mind we can have and how wonderful that this all begins and ends with love. It's a universal acceptance. It's something that you will find in all parts of the world, light or dark. Without it, we truly are nothing; for without heart, there is no life.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
50 Life Secrets.
Such a goodie, wish I had written it myself...
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8YZSE0/www.highexistence.com/life-secrets-and-tips/comment-page-1
#10- Don't take life too seriously.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8YZSE0/www.highexistence.com/life-secrets-and-tips/comment-page-1
#10- Don't take life too seriously.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
J
I'm not sure what sparked me to write this, but lately I have been spending too much time focusing on myself and things that are insignificant. So, I decided to take a step back and evaluate the world around me, and I have come to this conclusion: being absorbed has isolated me from all the happiness surrounding me, beginning with my friends.
I may be biased, but I honestly know that I have the BEST friends a girl could have. I am so incredibly blessed with such inspiring, beautiful, funny, intelligent, genuine, and loving women in my life that I get the privilege of calling my friends. So here's dedication to you- to those that make me a better person, who stick by my side even when I don't deserve it, and to those who I wouldn't trade anything in the world for, honestly. Diving head first into your happiness has made be a better person and for that gift, I will forever be grateful.
Just the other day, I could have sworn fireworks exploded within Julia as we drove home. One of her "dreams" you could say, finally came true. As I listened to her giddily talk about the plans for the coming weeks, I realized that her happiness made me happy. Watching my friend so excited honestly opened my eyes to the realization that if I step away from my selfish tendencies, I become a better person. Being self-absorbed has gotten me nowhere, but the beauty that is created from sharing in the happiness of a dear friend is unfathomably valuable. Who knew, right?
So thanks J for letting me share your moment with you, it meant more than you know.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Day 1
With a new month comes a new challenge: write every day and make it meaningful. So, here goes nothing…
Today, in my Women and Leadership class we were asked to write down a goal that we have for ourselves. It could be a goal that we want to accomplish this semester, this year, or in our lifetime. I could have easily put down, “I want to graduate from Auburn and attain a job in Travel Journalism, hopefully for National Geographic” (which is definitely true), but instead I decided to be a little more honest on paper than usual.
I wrote: I want to take a mission/service trip overseas and not know anyone.
Just minutes before we had watched a video on taking a study abroad trip to Belize and it really got me thinking. I love people (recent discovery that my top strength is that I’m a Woo-er), and I’ve always dreamt of traveling somewhere and making a difference, as corny as that may sound. Growing up, I was blessed with any and everything and as I’ve gotten older I’ve developed the philosophy to always try to be selfless in whatever I do. So as I watched the video showcasing Belize and all the wonderful opportunities that would come from doing this, I also made a mental note that when I go wherever I decide, I don’t want to go with anyone I know.
This sounds a little strange, considering it would be comforting to know a face in a crowd of the unfamiliar, but for me, I want to dive head first into giving my entire self to these people, and I don’t think I can do it unless I’m completely focused on my mission. So many people take service trips with their church groups or school, whatever it may be, and so many times they lose track of their pupose for being there. When they get tired of laboring all day in the hot sun, or when they’re tired of trying to conquer the language barrier, they retreat back to their comfort zone and it’s all merry again. What I want to experience, however, is the real deal. I want to be able to fully give myself to the people that I’m helping and building relationships with and really experience life as they do.
Another reason, probably more of a driving force than the other, is I’m actually afraid to do it alone. This sounds contradicting, but I am afraid, so that’s why I want to accomplish this. I've always had the mentality that if I stumble upon something that I'm fearful of, I'm going to make sure to succeed at it. Life is so short, and I feel like I don’t have time to let being fearful stop me from pursuing my passions. Down the road I want to be able to say, “Yeah, I was afraid, but I succeeded nonetheless.”
I’m not going to let fear or insecurity get in my way. If I sat out everytime I felt like that, I would never do anything…and let’s be honest, in the end what kind of success does being a “benchwarmer” even get you? Zip.
Today, in my Women and Leadership class we were asked to write down a goal that we have for ourselves. It could be a goal that we want to accomplish this semester, this year, or in our lifetime. I could have easily put down, “I want to graduate from Auburn and attain a job in Travel Journalism, hopefully for National Geographic” (which is definitely true), but instead I decided to be a little more honest on paper than usual.
I wrote: I want to take a mission/service trip overseas and not know anyone.
Just minutes before we had watched a video on taking a study abroad trip to Belize and it really got me thinking. I love people (recent discovery that my top strength is that I’m a Woo-er), and I’ve always dreamt of traveling somewhere and making a difference, as corny as that may sound. Growing up, I was blessed with any and everything and as I’ve gotten older I’ve developed the philosophy to always try to be selfless in whatever I do. So as I watched the video showcasing Belize and all the wonderful opportunities that would come from doing this, I also made a mental note that when I go wherever I decide, I don’t want to go with anyone I know.
This sounds a little strange, considering it would be comforting to know a face in a crowd of the unfamiliar, but for me, I want to dive head first into giving my entire self to these people, and I don’t think I can do it unless I’m completely focused on my mission. So many people take service trips with their church groups or school, whatever it may be, and so many times they lose track of their pupose for being there. When they get tired of laboring all day in the hot sun, or when they’re tired of trying to conquer the language barrier, they retreat back to their comfort zone and it’s all merry again. What I want to experience, however, is the real deal. I want to be able to fully give myself to the people that I’m helping and building relationships with and really experience life as they do.
Another reason, probably more of a driving force than the other, is I’m actually afraid to do it alone. This sounds contradicting, but I am afraid, so that’s why I want to accomplish this. I've always had the mentality that if I stumble upon something that I'm fearful of, I'm going to make sure to succeed at it. Life is so short, and I feel like I don’t have time to let being fearful stop me from pursuing my passions. Down the road I want to be able to say, “Yeah, I was afraid, but I succeeded nonetheless.”
I’m not going to let fear or insecurity get in my way. If I sat out everytime I felt like that, I would never do anything…and let’s be honest, in the end what kind of success does being a “benchwarmer” even get you? Zip.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
negative nancy never finds success
I'm not sure if it has anything to do with me being a woman, or just being human, but when it comes to giving others recognition, or trying to veer away from saying negative things about someone, it's hard as hell. I try my best to lift others up, but when it comes right down to it, I fall short every other time.
In my Women and Leadership class, we were asked to participate in a 30 day experiment where we try to only say positive things about other women and then record them in a journal. Easy enough, right? Wrong. After walking out of my class, I lasted maybe thirty minutes before I spouted off some smart remark about another girl. Being competetive my entire life, it really bugged me that I had already been defeated. I had imagined maybe going two days, then failing, but no... thirty minutes, and I was finished. However, when I sat down to really think about this challenge we had been given, I realized that it wasn't supposed to be easy, otherwise there's no point. Because we live in a society dominated by the ideology that we must be better than the rest, we use this mindset in every aspect of our lives, even if it is against some innocent stranger.
As I sit and reflect on the negative things that I've said or thought about these people, some I would consider friends, others not at all, it really hurts me to know that I allowed myself to say such harsh comments. AND, to top it off, most of the time it was to make myself feel better. I mean, how pathetic does that sound? Really pathetic. When I really think about, I'm such a hypocrite. I constantly profess that we should be kind to others and speak with good intentions, yet I fall in the trap too. I don't want to be that person who is constantly bashing others because when I really step back and think about it, what good does that bring me in the end? We're all just trying to be successful and live life with fervor and purpose.
In my Women and Leadership class, we were asked to participate in a 30 day experiment where we try to only say positive things about other women and then record them in a journal. Easy enough, right? Wrong. After walking out of my class, I lasted maybe thirty minutes before I spouted off some smart remark about another girl. Being competetive my entire life, it really bugged me that I had already been defeated. I had imagined maybe going two days, then failing, but no... thirty minutes, and I was finished. However, when I sat down to really think about this challenge we had been given, I realized that it wasn't supposed to be easy, otherwise there's no point. Because we live in a society dominated by the ideology that we must be better than the rest, we use this mindset in every aspect of our lives, even if it is against some innocent stranger.
As I sit and reflect on the negative things that I've said or thought about these people, some I would consider friends, others not at all, it really hurts me to know that I allowed myself to say such harsh comments. AND, to top it off, most of the time it was to make myself feel better. I mean, how pathetic does that sound? Really pathetic. When I really think about, I'm such a hypocrite. I constantly profess that we should be kind to others and speak with good intentions, yet I fall in the trap too. I don't want to be that person who is constantly bashing others because when I really step back and think about it, what good does that bring me in the end? We're all just trying to be successful and live life with fervor and purpose.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
observations from 32,000 ft.
I can see the moon hovering in the distance, while the morning's rays engulf the world below me. People moving about with their hectic, repetitive lives- work, work, play, work, then more work again. I should probably still be asleep right now. I like flying though; being free of your duties for a little while, and although I'm confined to this tiny space, it's still relaxing to be able to look out of the window and take in the world with a different perspective.
The lady sitting across from me is from South Africa. She's currently been flying for 16 hours and is now tackling her last 4 to end her journey in Orange County, California. She's quaint and speaks with a gentle tongue. She reminds me of someone I know, yet I can't think of exactly who. Her husband died this past July, and she is going to stay with her son and his family for the holidays. She seems interesting, and a part of me wants to know more about her story. After all, everyone has a story. I wonder if she has always lived in South Africa, or what she does for a living? I even wonder if this is the first time traveling without her husband? She eventually lays down in her seat, trying to get some rest. From the expression on her face, it would probably do her well.
The man in front of her is reading some newspaper with Cam Newton on the cover. He keeps shooting glances at me...it probably has something to do with my Auburn bag that's sitting next to me. However, I'm assuming since I haven't received a hearty "War Eagle!" that he isn't a member of the Auburn family, but nonetheless I give him a smile. I do this partly out of pure kindness and partly out of knowing that my team probably stomped his at some point in the season. Oh, Auburn...I do love thee. WDE!
Two hours have passed, no sleep accomplished, but I have listened to the entire John Mayer- Battle Studies album and caught up on some much needed writing. I guess you could say the thing I love most about flying is the time it gives you for reflection; it demands you to conjure up something to keep yourself occupied, yet I fall short of being successful almost every time, unless you count this entry as being successful.
The flight attendant has asked me four times now if I would like something to drink. Please note that my Sprite is still fizzing from when she first handed it to me. She's a kind, blonde lady and it makes me laugh, so I guess I don't mind.
We're almost to Cali, flying over deserted land with the rivets of a river cut into the earth so precisely that it doesn't seem real. As many plane rides as I've taken, it still blows my mind at how beautiful (this word doesn't serve it justice) the world is and how great God is for creating it all. I still sit in awe at each, new glimpse I'm offered.
The lady sitting across from me is from South Africa. She's currently been flying for 16 hours and is now tackling her last 4 to end her journey in Orange County, California. She's quaint and speaks with a gentle tongue. She reminds me of someone I know, yet I can't think of exactly who. Her husband died this past July, and she is going to stay with her son and his family for the holidays. She seems interesting, and a part of me wants to know more about her story. After all, everyone has a story. I wonder if she has always lived in South Africa, or what she does for a living? I even wonder if this is the first time traveling without her husband? She eventually lays down in her seat, trying to get some rest. From the expression on her face, it would probably do her well.
The man in front of her is reading some newspaper with Cam Newton on the cover. He keeps shooting glances at me...it probably has something to do with my Auburn bag that's sitting next to me. However, I'm assuming since I haven't received a hearty "War Eagle!" that he isn't a member of the Auburn family, but nonetheless I give him a smile. I do this partly out of pure kindness and partly out of knowing that my team probably stomped his at some point in the season. Oh, Auburn...I do love thee. WDE!
Two hours have passed, no sleep accomplished, but I have listened to the entire John Mayer- Battle Studies album and caught up on some much needed writing. I guess you could say the thing I love most about flying is the time it gives you for reflection; it demands you to conjure up something to keep yourself occupied, yet I fall short of being successful almost every time, unless you count this entry as being successful.
The flight attendant has asked me four times now if I would like something to drink. Please note that my Sprite is still fizzing from when she first handed it to me. She's a kind, blonde lady and it makes me laugh, so I guess I don't mind.
We're almost to Cali, flying over deserted land with the rivets of a river cut into the earth so precisely that it doesn't seem real. As many plane rides as I've taken, it still blows my mind at how beautiful (this word doesn't serve it justice) the world is and how great God is for creating it all. I still sit in awe at each, new glimpse I'm offered.
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