Seasons

Spring is lost! I’ve become convinced of this as April begins and winter has still not loosened its grip. It seems to be dragging on and on, almost like a deliberate effort of inducing cabin fever. I long so much for warm sunshine, chirping birds, and daffodils!

Most of all, I long to see the emergence of new life:  that explosion of green that suddenly and completely banishes the bleakness of winter. This amazing rebirth of life creates such a feeling of freedom. It makes me appreciate winter because without death, rebirth would be impossible. So in a way, this makes winter is a necessary evil….(yes, it is evil!).

 

There is beauty in each of the seasons, but especially Fall and Winter: 
 

                     Fall

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There is just something about this season that makes you fall in love with it. Hey, maybe that’s why they call it fall. The crisp air, golden sunlight, and pumpkin flavored everything are part of its glory for sure, but the platform undeniably goes to nature's vibrant display. The bright and intensely beautiful red, yellow, and orange trees are such a wonderful sight that is hard to think of them as dying. Yet, that's what is happening.... Death.  

 

 

It seems strange to associate beauty with death, but this is exactly what death is. Death is beautiful; autumn is designed to show us this. Our time on earth is such a short and unique experience that leaves us transformed and ready for the next life. It is the next life that we are more alive and aware, and where we truly meet our potential. Death is beautiful because it is not the end, it is the beginning of something truly greater than we can imagine. 

 

                     Winter

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It was on a day in the midst of winter that I realized that winter carries so much symbolism and perhaps it was all intentional. Perhaps, God created winter as a perfect metaphor for what happens when the earth tilts away from the sun just like what happens when we stray away from His son. Much like the earth revolves around the sun, so should our lives revolve around the son of god, for if not, cold and harsh conditions appear.... winter comes and everything dies. As desolate as winter’s barren landscape, so is this reflection seen in our lives when we stray away from the Christ, the bright light in our metaphorical sky.

 

Why I Will Never Read "Fifty Shades of Grey"

Seemingly out of nowhere, this book has become mega-popular and is even in the process of being made into a movie. Why exactly? It's not because it is particulary good, it's because sex sells. A simple and undeniable truth. I won't say that I don't completely understand the lure of getting lost in some erotic fantasy, but seriously, it feels wrong to become addicted to reading something so horrible as a billionaire jerk using some girl as a sex toy. Is this really what people are choosing to read? There is a whole world of books out there filled with amazing characters, intriguing storylines, and well thought out plots. Hell will freeze over before I waste my time on such talentless work as "Fifty Shades of Grey."

I am an aspiring writer, and like every aspiring writer, it is my dream to make it big. It is my dream to do exactly what the author of Fifty Shades has achieved:  to write a best-selling novel and watch it come alive on the big screen. It would be the most amazing feeling, and if  I ever could reach this seemingly unrealistic goal, it would make me feel fulfilled with life in a way I have never felt before. Writing was the first thing I was drawn to as a kid, and after all these years of putting it on the back burner and feeling not good enough to write, the fire for it is still there. That fire may have been just a small flame, but it has become much brighter now. It is like an old friend calling me home after being gone for so long.

And this is where the heart of my issue with this book lies:  there is so much talent out there, so many deserving books waiting to be published, but what gets the big deal instead?.... something that publishers know will get eaten up. Write about sex fantasies, or the equivalent of pornagraphy lets just say, and there you go, you are a best selling author. It seems sad and pathetic, and is the real reason why I won't read it and get sucked into it like everyone else. I am better than letting myself read that garbage. Reading truly talented works of art is what I seek, and I know that does not include "Fifty Shades of Grey," and it never will.

"If You Cannot Be a Poet, Be the Poem"

Opportunity

 With doubt and dismay you are smitten
You think there's no chance for you, son?
Why, the best books haven't been written
The best race hasn't been run,
The best score hasn't been made yet,
The best song hasn't been sung,
The best tune hasn't been played yet,
Cheer up, for the world is young!

No chance? Why the world is just eager
For things that you ought to create
Its store of true wealth is still meagre
Its needs are incessant and great,
It yearns for more power and beauty
More laughter and love and romance,
More loyalty, labor and duty,
No chance--why there's nothing but chance!

For the best verse hasn't been rhymed yet,
The best house hasn't been planned,
The highest peak hasn't been climbed yet,
The mightiest rivers aren't spanned,
Don't worry and fret, faint hearted,
The chances have just begun,
For the Best jobs haven't been started,
The Best work hasn't been done.

   ~Berton Braley           

http://www.pinkpoem.com/inspirationalpoems/songsofhope/opportunity.html

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This Too Shall Pass

If I can endure for this minute
Whatever is happening to me,
No matter how heavy my heart is
Or how dark the moment may be

If I can remain calm and quiet
With all the world crashing about me,
Secure in the knowledge God loves me
When everyone else seems to doubt me

If I can but keep on believing
What I know in my heart to be true,
That darkness will fade with the morning
And that this will pass away, too

Then nothing in life can defeat me
For as long as this knowledge remains
I can suffer whatever is happening
For I know God will break all of the chains

That are binding me tight in the darkness
And trying to fill me with fear
For there is no night without dawning
And I know that my morning is near.

Helen Steiner Rice

  http://www.pinkpoem.com/inspirationalpoems/songsofhope/shallpass.html

 

A Calm Within the Storm

No matter what life gives me, whether it's lemons.....apples...... or strawberries, I can find solace in at least one thing.... the fact that nature is the only true constant. It is like an old friend, comfort imparted by familiarity. No matter where you are or whatever circumstance you are faced with, the beauty of nature is always there.  

 Having a wakefulness of what is around me, from the vibrant greens, the rustling of the wind, and happy chirping of birds bring peace to the soul. Maybe it's just the biology major side of me, or perhaps it's the feeling of being a part of a greater whole. Whatever it is, it is an amazing and special thing. At times, seeking comfort from nature is like a calm within the storm. Right now, in this phase of my life, the storm of life has me feeling bruised and battered to pieces, so anything that is a buffer is a good thing.

The stars. On a warm summer night, nothing is better than sitting back and looking up. There is something magical about it that I just cannot put into words, but I'm sure you know what I mean. I often think that if I were to go blind and never see again, this is one sight I would miss for sure. Not getting to see the beauty of a midsummer night's sky would be heartbreaking. It is much like running: I value the experience each and every time, and is like happiness defined.

Joy can come from such simple things in life, and that is what makes it worthwhile. Never forget to cherish the simple things. 

                                             
                                                          

A Comfort and a Curse

Everything ends. It is both a comfort and a curse.  I often think about this while I am at work when I catch myself counting down the hours. I just think that no matter how much I may hate being there, it will eventually end. Everything ends. The worst imaginable situation that you find yourself in will end, but so will the sweet-as-honey moments you wish could last forever.


 It really is a bittersweet sort of thing. Sometimes I wish I could rip the heart out of my chest so that I wouldn't have to feel the perpetual sorrow that I feel right now. There's so much feeling infused within me that it feels like my heart is on fire. 


 Lately, random memories flash into my mind and it takes me back. They feel so real and I get the exact feeling that I felt in that moment. They say that your life flashes before your eyes when you die, so maybe it's the same with the death of a relationship. All the delightful memories and moments so good you can't put into words flash before your eyes before anything truly dies. 

                      Love is an effortless feeling..... a good thing that feels natural and right and makes you feel safe and calm.

 It's what being lucky feels like.

*Why can't the good time last longer? It's because everything ends. How do you get through a rough patch? Knowing that everything ends.

The Sunflower's Lesson

Sunflowers. They are those cheerful, bright flowers with personality. In the journey of life, you should do as the sunflower. Sunflowers recieve their name because they love the sun; they always face the sun. In the morning, even before the sun is completely up, you will find that these flowers face to the east because this is the direction of the rising sun. As the sun marches across the sky, sunflowers will dance with it and turn to face it. They are truly the sun's flowers. When the sun sets and the moon takes its place, sunflowers face west, always following the sun's rays until they are vanished below the horizon.  

We should all take note and do what sunflowers do.....we should follow the metaphorical sun. Choose to focus on the sunny parts of life...the good times, the laughs, the little things that knit into everlasting memories. Forget about what seems like the dark, gray filled days, because nothing can keep the sun from shining. Even on cloudy days, the sky is bright because of the sun behind the clouds. Without rainy days, growth would be impossible. Just remember though, that sunflowers live for the sun. Sure they can withstand storms and thrive from plentiful rainfall, but that is not the reason for which they are named sunflowers. They are named for what they do and what they love. Let your life reflect this also.....live for the moments you can't put into words....moments that are comparable to following the sun.

Encouragement

Encouragement is something so vital in life, that it often is taken for granted. It's funny how some of the most important things in life seem to be this way....taken for granted or just simply unapprecitated. I challenge anyone reading this to take a minute sometime and think of a way to encourage, or just plain support someone in your life. Be it family or a stranger, it doesn't matter, as it will be appreciated more than you know.

One of the reasons I feel that encouragement is so important is because I know what it's like to have it void in my life. No support on my decisions. No understanding on my career ambitions. It's unfortunate, yes, but the purpose of this blog is not for pity, but to adequately describe the importance of such a unseemingly insignificant thing that has great impact in the lives of people.

Want proof that encouragement goes a long way? Here's my personal story:

       In middle school, I always had a strong desire to become a runner....to join the Cross Country team and just run. It's an unexplainable feeling, as I don't know why exactly I felt like I would love running, but I guess sometimes you just feel drawn to certain things. Call it destiny if you would like, but I'd like to think that maybe you are unexplainibly drawn to things or people for the reason that they have something to teach you. Well, if this is true, then I have definitly learned things that have aided in personal growth by joining the Cross Country team in high school.

       By no means was I the best runner. In fact, I was the worst...one of the the last runners to finish on my team. I tried my hardest to not let this get to me because I just loved running more than you would imagine. I could easily put up with the hot days and vicious speed work sessions because I was doing something I've always wanted to do. I felt like I was apart of something important, that I found and was involved with one of my passions in life. It was a very exciting feeling, a feeling that the people around me probably never knew I had.

      So, how does this fit in with encouragement? Well, it was the day of my first race. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. I didn't know what to expect really, but just the sheer experience of something new was exhilaraing to me. In the back of my head, I knew that I wouldn't finish with a "good" time....I was the worst runner on the team for crying out loud. So, when the finish line was within sight and my lungs felt ready to burst, it was easy to give in to feelings of not being good enough....of inadequacy and defeat. It was easy to quit, to give up on doing your best in that single moment when doing your best can define success or failure. It was unfortunate too, because there was a girl just a few feet in front of me that I just didn't have the energy to pass. Or did I? Rounding the curve on the track, I suddenly began to hear my team mates and assistant coach cheering from afar. They sounded really excited for some reason, like how you are at the race track when your horse is about to win. I could tell they were cheering, but it was just noise to me at first. Then, I realized that their cheers were for me. Me! They were eagerly cheering for me to pass the girl in front of me....to pass her on this last homestretch.

      Just a few seconds and the race would be all over. I didn't have the energy. I was exhausted out of my mind, but such a powerful feeling overcame me that I don't think I will ever forget it. The encouragement from my team made me dig down deep and find it in myself to pass this girl. I sprinted to the finish line and before I knew what I was doing, I had passed right by her. I know that I wouldn't of, that I would have placed one spot further in the race if it was not for the cheering of my team....for their encouragement. Someone believing in you and encouraging you can make all the difference sometimes. You may not always realize that it does, but to the person on the receiving end, it can mean the world to them. Sure, maybe I did suck, but if I would have started running years ago when I wanted, not caring what anyone would think, I would have been good by the time when I actually did decide to start running. Regardless, I still love running now and is something I could never willingly part from.
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I believe that you ALWAYS have the capacity to become better at something. You decide it and you can become it! Along the way, encouragement can get you a long way, but don't ever forget to believe in yourself....to encourage yourself. This is perhaps one of the hardest things to do, for the sole fact that it takes a great amount of strengh to do....to disregard personal weakness and be who or what no one else thinks you can be. But you can do it! It has been done and there's no reason why it can't be done by you too.

Encouragemnet. I encourage you to go out and keep this story in the back of your mind as an example of what such a thing can do for someone, and don't be afraid to do it every once and awhile...it will be appreciated.  :)