Days :)

There are 365 days in a year.

There are days when you feeling like singing at the top of your lungs from the rooftops. There are days that you feel like splashing in the largest puddles you can find. There are days you wish the rain would end and there are days the night can’t come soon enough. There are days when the biggest thing on your mind is the pile of leaves you are about to plow through. There are days when the only thing that keeps you moving to the next second is the beat of the favorite song you are listening to. There are days when the sunshine dances on your skin and you feel like you could be everywhere at once.

There are days. There are more days. And there are just days.

As I have been at school I have come to realize an important fact.
Days.
Days come.
Every day brings a new day. However, days go by. Days run away like stars being chased away by the sun. The older I get the faster time seems to go. There is no way to truly slow it down. When I was a kid I remember wishing with all of my heart that I could just be old so I could do everything. Days couldn’t go by fast enough. Now I look back and wish that I could be as carefree and young spirited as I was as a child. The days won’t slow down and they sure don’t come back.

Every day I wake up is a new adventure. It’s a great story really. It always starts with the hero … (me ;)) opening my eyes and realizing how warm my bed is. You know that feeling where you just need to sink deeper and deeper into your covers. Golly I love my bed. I could really spend an entire day there…  Such is the life of a college student though right? My day continues on and on. One of my favorite ways to spend my days is by trying to make people feel happy. If I can make everyone that I come in contact with smile… well I’d say it’s a great day.

The other day my roommates and I were driving around on campus getting things done and finished up. Kirsten had gone to turn something in so as we were sitting in the car waiting for her to come back I rolled down my window and started to compliment every person that walked by. Anything and everything. This is a fairly normal thing for me to do so Shannon quickly joined in. I could feel the happy juices on my insides getting really pumped.

Do you ever have that feeling where you just want to run up to everyone and give them a big hug and tell them how amazing they are??? I love that feeling. So I compliment people all of the time. I love letting people know how loved they are because really, there is not one person on this earth that goes unnoticed. Well Kirsten came back into the car and as we drove we continued to yell compliments out the windows. We were having the time of our lives and everyone was smiling  One boy called out and asked if we were a complimenting car. We told him we liked his jacket and drove off. I then got dropped off at my destination and my roommate’s cat called and hollered after me. I realized in that second how grateful I was for those moments. My mood had absolutely vanished and I was filled with so much joy and happiness I felt like I could fly. I was so grateful for my roommates. I was so grateful for the ability to express love. I was so grateful for everyone that I had been able to see even though I didn’t know them. That’s when time finally seemed to slow down….

If you want a really good way to slow down time, be grateful for everything that you have.
Too much of our lives are wasted and used second by second worrying and wanting tomorrow and the “better future” to be here now. There is nothing wrong with dreaming and having goals. Those things are the things that should keep us going. However, if we take time now to enjoy what we have we will come to find that life is much more than circumstances that we find ourselves in. Life is more than just days that go by. Look around you!!! Let your heart be filled with love for everything and anything that surrounds you. Love your roommates, the pedestrian, and the people who cut you off. Be grateful for the snow and the icy roads and the scrapers in your car. Be happy that its finals time and that your teachers just piled on an incredible amount of homework to do!!!! For those that you do not particularly care for, get to know them, the real them. Love, be grateful, and enjoy the time you have right now!!!

Life is what we determine it to be by what we decide to take out of it. What we choose to focus on and what we choose to be grateful and happy about will determine how happy life can make us. We can have the worst of days and when we focus on the fact that our smile is still shining our entire life will be brighter. You have the ability to slow down time. Enjoy each second. Live every moment. And always remember to be grateful for all of it!!!! You are amazing!!!! Have a GREAT day!!!!

A Little Thought

If you could say one thing to any one person what would it be??

There are so many things that I could say.

I would tell the mailman thank you. I would tell any bully I met to hit the road. I would tell my parents and family how much I truly appreciated them. I would tell all of my amazing friends how much they mean to me. I would go back to every teacher I ever had and thank them for giving their time and knowledge. I would apologize to anyone I'd ever hurt. I would let every little sister out there know how beautiful she really is. I would let every little brother in the world know what a fantastic kid he is and what a profound influence he is going to have. There are so many things that can and should be said.

There is one thing that I wish I could tell everyone.

If I could tell one person any one thing... I would tell them that I love them.

Not romantically or anything, don't get your hopes up ;) But really, I wish I could let every person out there know how deeply and truly they are loved. There isn't a person out there that isn't worth loving and isn't loved by someone.

I learned a very profound lesson recently: Never merely tolerate people. Only love them.

So next time you get cut off on the road, or that person at the grocery store is a little less than pleasant. Remember, they need love at that moment just as much as you do. Love yourself. Love them. Love.

I love you.

Have a great week :)

Quote of the Day

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Keep on keeping on my friends :) Have a GREAT day :)

No Bad Days

Sometime in December

A harsh wind cut into my eyes as I walked out of my apartment into the snowy barren wasteland of Rexburg Idaho. Icy snowflakes sunk like daggers against the exposed flesh on my face. I half walked half slipped into the icy parking lot on my way to class. For those of you who have little experience with snow, it’s rather hard to describe. It’s a little unnerving but rather exciting to see snow banks taller than you. Either way, it was one of those mornings where the snow was absolutely blinding and I was late for class.

I have to preface this story by saying that I LOVE car stickers. I think it is so fun to see how different people personalize their cars!!!! On this particular morning as I entered the maze of parked cars to get to class I spotted a very peculiar car sticker.

“No Bad Days”

It was quite possibly the most taunting sticker I had ever seen. Two palm trees came up out of the saying and seemed to be blowing in what would be a warm tropical breeze, mocking the frigid temperature of -30 degrees it was at the time.

It was at that moment that I decided how I wanted to live my life.

NO BAD DAYS :D

You see, I am most definitely under the impression that we make our days either good or bad. Sure there will always be circumstances effecting us those “icy snowflakes sinking like daggers into your exposed flesh”, but these are not the forces that define what sunshine is.  Though tornado's of trials may swirl around us, we can choose NO bad days!!!!

Can you imagine never having a bad day again?? It’s hard huh!!! And the only thing that is really stopping you is yourself!!! You, yes you, can have and do and be whatever you want. I know that’s what barney tells four year olds but he certainly has a point. With hard WORK you can do anything. You can be anything. YOU ARE GREAT!!! And you have the potential to be greater!!! Here is my favorite quote in the world that if I had the chance I would tell everyone that I meet because it is 100% true!

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~Nelson Mandela

YOU are capable of having NO MORE bad days!!!

Have a GREAT day folks!!!!

The Family Flat

Flat tires are always quite the adventure. If you haven’t had one, just wait, it’ll come.

Yesterday on my way home from church I happened to have my very first experience of having a flat tire. I was on the side of a rather busy highway and a little bit frazzled by the stranded feeling that overtook my mind and the helplessness I felt as car after car sped by me into their busy lives. So I called my brother for backup, it wasn’t that I didn’t know how to change a tire because I definitely have done it before, it’s just that this one was flat…. And I didn’t want to mess up. J

As I sat in my car awaiting his arrival two thoughts crossed my mind:

1. “What had I done to deserve this?”

2. “What was I supposed to learn from some silly flat tire?”

So along came my brother and carefully he and I took the bolts off of the tire and proceeded to yank the tire off the car. To our dismay it didn’t move. So we called my father for more backup. As we waited another man and his wife pulled over to help us. And not long after, my Dad and my Mom AND my little brother showed up on the side of the road. I watched helplessly as 3 grown men pulled at my tire. I felt bad. I grew frustrated with myself that I had caused all of these people to put their lives on hold just because I couldn’t fix it on my own. My dad looked to the stranger and asked if he had a hammer. Thinking the stranger announced that for some inexplicable reason, he did have a hammer. My dad then asked him to get it and told us that he had a feeling to grab a metal wedge on the way out the door. Together the tools worked magic. My dad was able to hammer the wedge between my car and the tire and eventually pry the two fused pieces of metal apart.

Absolutely overcome with gratitude we all expressed our sincerest thanks for each other and drove our separate ways. As I hopped in my car I realized I had maybe 15 minutes to be somewhere and I was supposed to bring food. Running into my house I found that my dear sweet sister had prepared the food that was needed and I was able to be to my appointment on time.

My mind has since wandered back onto the first two questions that I had asked.

What had I done to deserve this?? My answer: Bad things happen to good people. This wasn’t even that bad either!!!! What I had done to deserve this was simply trying to live right and better myself. I had been given this opportunity to grow and be taught!!! We are given trials because we are loved beyond measure by an incredible and loving Father in Heaven.

What could I learn from this experience??

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade- and be willing to share.

I obviously could not have changed that tire by myself. Even though I already knew how, I did not have the tools or the strength that it needed to get the tire off. None of us are ever meant to go through this life or any trial on our own. I believe that every person that is in our lives is in it for a very specific reason. Each person that meets us along the way may have a certain tool that it takes to help us get through whatever we are dealing with. It takes courage to ask for help, and it takes even more courage to accept help in the first place.

Thinking back on this experience it has struck me how much I truly love and care about my family. How they are always there for me. How I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would be willing to do anything for me and I for them. I have such an amazing family and I love them so much and I am so grateful for the many sacrifices and incredible things they do for me. Because I know whenever I have a flat tire literally or figuratively, each one of them is there to help.

It’s a family thing.

Thank You Invisible's

As many of you know, I love watching people. (Creepy, I know) I love to understand them and observe their different ways of reasoning. Today, however, I was struck with an odd realization when my brother called out this morning saying that he had no socks.

Socks.

An interesting topic. Now for most of us, when we do laundry one sock mysteriously always goes missing. This is at no fault of the person doing the laundry but still remains a mystery at large. Not thinking too much of this mundane incident I left my house hurriedly for work. Stepping outside I happened upon the mailman.

The Mailman.

What on earth would we do without the mailman?? He/She is the only reason any of us receive postcards, birthday cards, graduation and wedding announcements, bills, jury duty notifications.. the list goes on and on. In truth however, our world would cease to exist as we know it without the reliable mailman. As I drove away impatiently waiting for my air conditioning to kick in, the question of how his AC would function came to mind. I watched him get out of his truck from my rear view mirror walking around an obstacle course of cars to put the mail into it's slots and then climb back into his open air truck. He must be so hot in the 90+ Utah weather.

At work I was privileged to pick up the telephone from a not so satisfied customer complaining about a ring that they had not received in a desired amount of time. I apologized to them and reassured the customer that they would get the ring soon. As I hung up the phone I thought about the mail system and even more so about that particular mailman. What it must be like to have all those people depending on you. How he worked so hard and all alone. He never really interacted with people like I do every day in retail.

After work (sorry for the play by play) I went to the mall. A meaningless and trivial journey. Or so I though. Upon entering the mall I came across a boy and his mother. Two hurried people in a rather busy world. The little boy had just thrown up all over the floor next to the dizzying colorful carousel. The mother looked around embarrassed at the many disgusted faces that cut into her gaze. She hurried herself and her little boy away in shame, weighed down by a shade of scarlet burning through her cheeks and neck. I hurried on around the mess and my heart went out to the mother and her not feeling so well son. What kind of situation today must have been for the two of them I imagined.

What it must have been like for this dear sweet mother to take such a small child into the gigantic maze of a mall. Entrusting that her little six year old boy would be safe and on his very best behavior. I though of a time when I was that age and my mom had brought me to this very mall and I had gotten lost. I thought I would never see her again. Saddened that I had tried so hard to be on my best behavior and had fallen short of my mothers' request. This little boy had undoubtedly sat in many fitting rooms trying on clothes and waiting for Mom. She would have been so proud of Him by the end of the excursion that she had bought him an ice cream that was gobbled down like the best tasting manna from heaven. And Mom, beaming with joy and pride for her son would have let her little boy go on the carousel just once to let Him know what an amazing kid he was. And as he sat down a little sick inside, he couldn't help his poor fragile small body from what happened next.

Passing them and completing my mission and exiting out of the mall I was stunned to see a janitor cleaning up the mess that this little boy had made. I watched in awe as I passed seeing him work quickly and efficiently as almost everyone who passed him turned the other way as if to make him completely invisible. I walked by in silence too floored to say or do anything.

Janitors.

I had a very thought provoking commute home. Finally everything that day came together. My Mom, the Mailman, and the Janitor all had one very interesting thing in common. They all preform "invisible jobs". Jobs that almost every day are preformed and carried out that make our lives function the way that they do. These jobs aren't usually noticed when they are done however. Nobody gets a Nobel Peace prize for cleaning up vomit on the mall floor. And no one will get a scholarship for delivering someones mail. These jobs that are done every single day, and only are ever questioned when they aren't completed.

Many of these jobs occur in situations where there would not be very much actual interaction with other people. I began to wonder how many times someone had actually expressed gratitude to these individuals. I would suspect not very often. I would also suspect that this fact alone must be a little bit discouraging. Our lives are continually being made easier and smoother by "invisible people" who perform "invisible jobs".

I would like to thank and encourage anyone who reads this to thank anyone and everyone who might preform these invisible jobs. Be it cleaning up throw up, delivering mail, or simply cleaning socks. THANK YOU! Because if it were not for all of you amazing people out there, life would come to a crashing halt and cease to exist as we know it. So for all of you invisibles, you are noticed, you are incredible, and you are making a difference. Thank you :)

Speaking of Invisible jobs...

Hope this makes you laugh ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFcIH2tK2iM&feature=player_embedded