The Road Not Taken.
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;	5
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,	10
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.	15
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

                        
                                              Robert Frost

"The painful things seemed like knots on a beautiful necklace, necessary for keeping the beads in place." 


(Anita Diamant, The Red Tent)

Most people don't know there are angels whose only job is to make sure you don't get too comfortable & fall asleep & miss your life.

No matter how badly you want them to, how much you believe they can, or how often they say they will, some people never change.

"But I was more at home in my father's world. People like Mr. Heck Tate did not trap you with innocent questions to make fun of you; even Jem was not highly critical unless you said something stupid. Ladies seemed to live in faint horror of men, seemed unwilling to approve wholeheartedly of them. But I liked them. There was something about them, no matter how much they cussed and drank and gambled and chewed; no matter how undelectable they were, there was something about them that I instinctively liked... they weren't -- hypocrites."

Scout Finch

Nobody knew what form of intimidation Mr. Radley employed to keep Boo out of sight, but Jem figured that Mr. Radley kept him chained to the bed most of the time. Atticus said no, it wasn't that sort of thing, that there were other ways of making people into ghosts.

let summer be summer.

i am blessed & thankful for

Some days the things that I take for granted in life become lost amid a sea of papers, errands, and frustrated thoughts. Often times, acknowledging the beautiful things in life can drastically change my blue mood.

An amazing family. The ability to overcome any situation. The most genuine, influential, and amazing friends around me. The ability to go to college and get an education. The ability to think for myself, define my own being, establish my own morals and beliefs without fear of society or my family stopping me. Books, stories, movies, quotes, art, photos, and the imagination. Being quite introverted, but having the ability to socialize and be outgoing with new friends and people I meet. Being in touch with my inner self; discovering my emotions, why I feel a certain way and putting such emotions into words. The opportunity to be creative in specific things that I do. Having freedom, responsibility, and the trust of my parents. The opportunity to be different in a world where many are the same. The ability to read, learn, see, and experience to refrain from an ignorant lifestyle. The ability to have my basic needs met at all times. The ability to listen and experience an array of beautiful music.  Nature, the Great Lakes, Pure Michigan, the seasons, and the opportunity to experience such gifts every single day.

"Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that."

Martin Luther King JR

time, time, time, time, time.

Today.

My academic advisor explained to me the silliness of the perfect GPA. "Honestly, your employers are not going to be concerned with your grades or class levels as long as you get a degree above a 2.0. They are typically concerned with how involved you were as an undergraduate and the amount of experience you have."

I've always know this statement to be true, however this reinforcement was glorious. With the pressure of the perfect GPA lifted off my shoulders, I have such a greater appreciation for my education. Now, I do not have to beat myself up for coming short of 4.0 in a class and I don't have to study until all hours of the morning.

I can actually learn because I want to learn. Isn't that fascinating?

happy happy earth day

Let's appreciate something beautiful, sustaining, and amazing--let Henry David Thoreau inspire you today:

"Nature is full of genius, full of divinity; so that not a snowflake escapes its fashioning hand."

"Well maybe there's a God above, but all I've ever learned from love was how to shoot someone who outdrew you."

brown paper bags

So I'm trying something new. It's a bit odd really, but somehow constructive amid school work.

The other night I realized that I, sadly, didn't have my journal here at school. Even though I may have resorted to this electronic journal, some things are a bit too personal to post. Needless to say, I started writing on the closest paper-like object I own, which happened to be a brown paper lunch bag. The bag is now filled with day-to-day entries; full to the brim with quotes, thoughts, and events. I've gathered that if I write weekly, I will have collected 48 paper bags by this time next year. That is 48 bags full of emotion, thoughts and questions--something far too personal for a public blog.

Such a beautiful thing sprung from a simple idea. I encourage you to take an ordinary object and turn it into something magnificent.

Happy Sunday.

There are things you do because they feel right & they may make no sense & they may make no money & it may be the real reason we are here: to love each other & to eat each other's cooking & say it was good.

folk music, good for the soul.

Bon Iver has completely consumed my music realm. I am obsessed with how each song is a mini story; a small tale if you will, displaying a plethora of emotions in such a poetic way. An inspiration.

Taught line, down to the shoreline,
The end of a blood line, the moon is a cold light.
There's a pull to the flow,
My feet melt the snow,
For the irony, i'd rather know.
Cause blinded, I was blindsided.

[Blindsided, Bon Iver]

truth.

the daily piece

i'm going to post one thing each day from now on.
it doesn't have to be spectacular, extravagant, or long. it will just be.
and 365 days from now it will be fresh and new and lovely.

things i should be doing (but alas, i am not):
studying for an exam.
memorizing AOP presentations.
going to dinner.
smiling.

solitude is bliss

Bye-bye MSU and USA. Hello Canada!

Off to a cabin on Lake Superior. Off to a land where cell phones, running water, indoor bathrooms, and world communication are non-existant. Off to a place where the stars are as bright as ever and the air is pure.

Find your happy place, enjoy a good read, and remove yourself from the rest of the world. It is nothing but an invigorating experience. Be on the lookout for some snazzy winter photos, fresh from the neighboring country itself.

Happy travels folks!

sunshine, stay

Ahh, the first tease of Spring. How I hate to love you!

Walking to class in jeans and a sweater was such an invigorating feeling; the birds chirping, the smell of clean air, the sunshine happily warming my cheeks...

Experiencing sheer bliss is not a mood; one does not simply wake up in the morning in a jolly state of mind because of some previous notion. Experiencing sheer bliss is the moment when you understand, Wow, the world is beautiful. And I am happy. As the first semester of my college career was a challenge in itself, it is truly magical enjoying the simple gifts that Earth has to offer.

Simple Joys: Birds chirping, crisp air, iced lattes, & cheerful conversation. Oh, and Regina Spektor.

what I learned in school is...

How does one calculate the speed of light? What is the exact year Galileo invented the telescope? What impact has Bertrand Russell's never-ending search for the truth made in the name of philosophy?

These are questions we are expected to know; expected to learn, take notes, memorize, soak into our brains and spit the facts out come test day. But what good is this doing? What significance will these minor details play in a job in accounting or advertising, years down the road?

If there is one thing that I will take with me from such required classes, it is the ability to question everything and everyone around me. Philosophy and astronomy alike are constantly asking how we know something is true. We cannot simply trust others' judgement; we must contemplate the facts, dig deep into ourselves, and in essence, define the word truth.

"Re-examine all you've been told. Dismiss those that insult the soul." Walt Whitman

By examining your life and the world, you are granting yourself the power to view the world the way you wish to see it, or rather, see it for what it really is. It can be a beautiful place, full of happiness, hopes and optimism, or it can be a world corrupted by humanity's selfish tendencies. Whatever view one may take, it is their own. 

Composer Eric Whitacre. Photo from Google.

Song of the Day: My music major friends have introduced me to Cloudburst by Composer Eric Whitacre. It's beautiful.

end of a decade

Now that the holidays have come and gone, the New Year provides a new _____ (don't worry, I wasn't going to say you. Too cliche!).

As you have the ability to fill in the blanks and determine what is "new" for you in 2011, here are a few things to keep in mind: 

New years resolutions are not about creating; they're about discovering, developing and improving. So discover what you need, develop such discovery, and improve your life in the process.

The Gift of Writing & Expression [12.22.10]

Task for You: Do some soul-searching. Think. Grow. Live a little.