That Sort of Song

I'm sure that you all have that one particular song that you listen to when you're going through a rough time. This song inspires you to be a better person, to lift your chin up, to do something new in order to feel better. This song makes you realize in a split second - thanks to a few lyrics and melody lines - that life can and will get better. I'm sure you've all got that song that makes me think, "This is me. This is beautiful. I'm ready for life." This happened when I heard Georgy Girl for the first time last month. This wonderful song by The Seekers was that song I needed to help me back on my feet. This song isn't depressing, but cheerful and light-hearted, but it weaves this cheerful tune together with strong, encouraging lyrics that both echoed what I was going through and what I needed to do. Although I'm not feeling the way I was last month (in large part thanks to this song), it's one of the first on my list when I am feeling discouraged. To wrap things up, I've included a link for this song, with the hope that it may help you, too, whether you need a pick-me-up, or you're just looking for a new song.

Cheers~

http://youtu.be/htnwnRR_ufs

Inside the 2 Year-Old Mind

Hey folks,

Not much of a blog today, only a small conversation between my dad and cute two year-old sister. She walked into the room the other day looking all devout and holy, holding a little prayer book in her hands. Dad melted when he saw her studying that book and said kindly,
"Aww. Are you reading the prayer book?"
Without looking up, she said in the most practical tone I've ever heard a two year-old use,
"Nope. I can't read it."

Precious, practical, and hilarious all in one response.

That's all, folks. Enjoy your weekend.

Another Lesson in Happiness

I usually like to think that I can handle things well. After some events that occured two years ago, I felt like I could handle a lot more, and even let unfortunate circumstances disappear all but unnoticed.  Sometimes I even felt like I could offer advice to others, because I'd been through the difficult things that they were going through. Then God decided I had some more learning to do...

Over late spring/early summer, I went through a series of difficult events that made me feel emotionally and physically lower and lower. It seemed that every few weeks, as soon as I started to get control of one problem, another would arise, crushing me all the more. As the weeks progressed, my overly-confident mindset of before - the mindset that really nothing could hurt me because of my strongly reinforced walls of non-feeling - completely deteriorated. I felt completely crushed, hurt, angry, confused, and absolutely exhausted. I felt like nothing could help me again for an unknowable amount of time. I started turning to pain, because that was something tangible that dulled the emotional pain with which I struggled. 

I have my dad to thank for helping me through this pain. My dad's had to go through quite a lot through out his life, and as such, I know he can give some sound advice when you feel like giving up. He told me that it wasn't enough to block tough times out of your mind. Burying problems doesn't take them away - they'll just resurface at some later point when you're hurting from something else. Instead, I needed to rebuild from the core: my heart was hurting and I was depressed with these feelings at my core, and in order to really be happy, I needed to change my heart, accept what had happened with the knowledge that life wouldn't always be like this, and move on. I had to find the good in my situation, and the only way to do that was to change the anger and hard feelings in my heart.

After this discussion, and working on rebuilding my heart, I also turned to things that could boost my energy and spirit. Since my personality gravitates toward stories and characters, that's where I looked. If any of you have seen Disney-Pixar's "Inside Out," you'll know who I'm talking about (if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it). I gained a lot watching the character, Joy, both how her personality helped Riley in steady times and how she teamed with Sadness later on. Her character made me realize that it is possible to live joyfully, looking for the things in life that make yourself and others around you happy. It also made me realize that life isn't all happiness - Joy and Sadness make a team. But without the right mindset, you'll only have one or the other. I learned even more over the past few months how incapable I am of controlling some events. But it's how I face these events that makes me stronger and happier. Sadness is completely normal, but it's important not to let it, or my anger, take control. 

It's a long lesson to learn, and sometimes it's extremely painful and difficult. I'm not saying that it can be fixed in a short time - it took me months, and I'm still repairing some things - it may take even longer someday. But I do know that through all this, I've grown stronger, more confident in myself, and happier. 

Back again... for however long

Greetings to anyone who still reads this blog~

After two years of neglect, I decided to stop by and give this blog a new look and clean things up. I've been very busy with classes and life, so I haven't had much time for spilling my thoughts onto a social page. Anyway, now that I've gotten through excuses, and not to ramble any longer than I have to, I'll be visiting this page every so often to blather, entertain, muse, and inform. If you have the time (or interest), continue to stop by. In the meantime, go outside and enjoy the fresh air and real world.

Cheers.

Youth

The other day I noticed a catalogue on which a giant neon title had been printed: All Eyes on Youth. More and more often I come across catalogues, magazines, and ads projecting that coveted image of youth. Buyers flock to grocery and drug stores in order to purchase the latest product that will retain their youthful appearance. Now I'm not against youth in the slightest - some of the very best things in the world have been designed for youth, and my favorite memories were made in my earliest days of youth. In fact, I am a youth blogging about it. What could be more youthful? I do have a concern for those who chase after it, though, like an unfulfilled dream. While the Bible has some very encouraging things to say about youth, it seems that the focus is on wisdom and righteousness instead. In fact, Proverbs 16:31 says, "The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness." A crown of glory... that sounds like something worth pursuing. Notice that it didn't mention perfectly tinted hair or a smooth face deprived of wrinkles. Also, Job 12:12 notes, "Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding." In our culture, wisdom is no longer revered. The aged who do possess it are snubbed and labelled "old-fashioned". Those who are reaching maturity frantically search any way to preserve their looks. In turn, not only are their looks preserved but their mindsets also. We are surrounded by a generation that lusts after its toys - carefree, irresponsible, lazy, oblivious. So long as everlasting fun is provided, Lampwick need never grow up. And then they wonder why they are so miserable, why they're always seeking but never finding. When the Bible does praise youth, it is for the faith and trust of a child. If we want to retain something from our youth, it should be the simple trust that came naturally as a child: the trust that relies on God, who is able to crown the lilies of the valley with greater beauty than man could ever create, for that jewel known as wisdom.

Eine Klasse Photo von der Maus

The perfect photo of my favorite mouse doing one of my favorite things. I need this in wall-poster size. 

Memory Lane

I wrote this poem last night during a rare flash of inspiration and a touch of sentimentalism. This is the third I've ever written and I've never taken a poetry class, so please forgive me, readers, if it's rubbish. I'd appreciate any thoughts or comments on it from those of you who enjoy poetry and/or know how to do it properly.

Memory Lane

Take the path of that less trodden,

Follow the road to days of yore-

Mark the lane which breathes of stillness,

Plunder the trove of memory's store.

Hark the days of yesteryear!

Note the scrawling ivy crawling,

Young were the days it calls to mind.

Reaching for folk who toiling built it,

On to bygone passers find.

Hear the raven croaking skyward,

Oh! That voice which rings of age.

First flight's feathers were his raiment 

When new dawn marked nature's page.

Creaking whispers gnarled oak,

Grasping breezes in his hands

Wonder as while never knowing

Tales he's kept of changing lands.

Lake of ripples wind caressing,

Silent slithers into stream.

While the silver fountains falling

Music drifting into dream.

Apple blossom passes scepter

Crown'd the Summer, then the Fall,

Fades each glow of Winter's glory

Year in year through Hist'ry's Hall.

Greet each dawn as stretching golden

To the yawning radiant eve,

Growing sapling reaches full-tree

Fleeting moments ne'er retrieve.

Hark the days of yesteryear!

Yea, hark the days of yesteryear. 

~