Truth Serum

Lately, I've taken a step back to examine my life...not even just my life, but LIFE, and through several attempts to view things clearly, I feel like I'm finally starting to really get to know myself, and am realizing that there are ways for us all to transform any situation, any dilemma or challenge, big or small, into something that truly benefits us and those around us, allowing everyone to grow and mature with our experiences, while learning from them, if we try hard enough to pull from what we already know and have as well as that which is staring us in the face. How's that for one big happy run-on sentence??

There's something about working at a middle school that forces me to be brutally honest with myself about life, happiness, self image, integrity, reality, (and the list goes on and on), and makes me wanna change the world. I've always felt that there's something to be said for being real, being honest, and being different, and always trying to do the right thing, in a world where everything seems to be sugar coated in some way or another, and having integrity isn't necessarily valued as "the cool thing", although it definitely should be!! I strive to be these things. Isn't it difficult to always do the right thing, or at least to try and do the right thing...or do what you think is right, even when it means that you might be laughed at or you feel as though you're laying your soul out on the table, no matter how old we are??

There are so many times when I wish I could totally go out on a limb to improve the quality of someone else's life, but feel like I have limited means or resources...or something, or maybe I'm not brave enough yet...or maybe I'm too prideful, or maybe I'm scared, but I've set out to make this one of my goals for the week - To reach and reward as many people as possible just for being awesome and having integrity, and...just because I'm extremely thankful that they're in my life in some capacity or another.

On my way home from school today, I began thinking about all the relationships we have in a lifetime, and how unique and special they are, whether it be an exceedingly close knit relationship between two sisters, a first love, the unconditional love between a parent and a child, and I started remembering middle, high school, and college years...all the different people you come to know and love, comical things that happen, feelings we all experience...those incredibly special moments that you wish you could have back again even for just a second, those times we all felt completely invincible, those moments when you've said to yourself, "I will never ever forget this night..." those sorrowful moments during which you swear the intense pain and suffering you're feeling will never subside while your parents and friends tell you that this too shall pass...and it eventually does...

Thank God for all these people, and experiences, even the hurting we face and no doubt grow strong from...Without these things, how would we advise others, how would we grow wise, how would we be able to dig deep down in our souls and know what these things feel like, how would we truly experience life in all its depth, glory, and sadness, and joy??