Take Things As They Come

There are a million things in life we will encounter, plus a little extra. Some are good, and some are bad. If life were a graph (as much as I dislike math and its analogy-type things), no parts of it would be steady. Okay, so maybe little parts, but I imagine it would be all over the place. Spikes up and down, high and low, some minute portions that were flat. If you have taken a simple math class, you probably know the type of graph I'm talking about. Sometimes, there are even stories behind them. When we covered them in actual math class (ick, I know), my teacher had us make up a story about the different parts of them. I don't want relate this whole post to math, so I'll just say one last thing relating to graphs. After this, my language will be void of math terms. Instead of a made up story put to a small span of plots on X and Y axes, let's look at our lives as the sort of unpredictable, see things as they come sort of thing. See? It doesn't have to be a graph. Look at it however you want. I'm choosing to look at it as a road trip, but a reeeaaalllyyy long one. You come equipped with a general path or plan, a destination in mind, and some general skills and instructions given to get you where you need to be. Generally, a GPS, a map, some snacks, a spare tire, a friend that is willing to come along with you (and if you want, multiple), and a car are some good starting points. Let's just assume you know how to drive. In one way or another, you have been instructed with do's and don'ts that allow you to operate a car. You have acquired some practice, because just learning the theory isn't enough (Dolores Umbridge, I'm looking at you). As you start out on the road, it's easy. The speed limit is low, and as a new driver, that's somewhat comforting. As you make your way towards city streets, the speed begins to increase. Gradually, though, you have become comfortable with lower speeds and you are so ready to take on that 45 MPH. Remember, this is a road trip, and this the beginning. Maybe on the main roads, there are some potholes that haven't yet been filled. They're small bumps, but they seem much larger. You're just getting used to the feel of the car. Every so often, your progress will halt. There are traffic lights, stop signs, traffic jams (yay, rush hour!), and you have to fill your tank with gas. There a number of other things you may encounter, but I thought I'd name a few. Regardless, waiting may seem pointless and annoying. At least you haven't run out of songs to play on your playlist, and you haven't become annoyed with your very good, kind friend(s). You have still managed to handle the obstacles as they arise, maybe you're invincible. But wait, you haven't yet reached the highway. That's a whopping 50 MPH, and you're still getting used to going above 40. Unfortunately, it's coming faster than anticipated. You manage to get up to speed, but suddenly, the course is not so easy. Things that used to seem like a small annoyance are really starting to get on your nerves. To make it even worse, there's nothing good on the radio AND you've gone through your whole music library. Twice. At this point, traffic lights are the least of your worry. At some point you forgot there were things in the car that could help you assess your situation. I mean, maps and other such resources are for wimps, right? Highway to freeway was hard, but you managed. Until (drumroll, please!), you take the wrong exit. But maybe taking the wrong exit is okay, because you make some new friends on the way and they lead you where to go. Should have used the GPS, am I right? As long as those new friends don't intentionally tell you the wrong thing, you are back where you need to go. You've learned some valuable lessons from previous experiences. Several flat tires, wrong exits, checking your route multiple times, and highway hypnosis states later, you have finally made it! There were countless pit stops, times of frustration, and times where what seemed easy was hard, you have actually reached your destination! And it was a hard journey, but it was fun! And you learned one thing, take things as they come. Otherwise, it's not likely to go well.

Thoughts on Life and Change

You know how you had something planned in your head, and each detail was perfect? With all your t's crossed and your i's dotted, nothing could possibly go wrong... right? But by some seemingly impossible chance, your perfect plan didn't go as imagined. It's as if the end of the world has come. Here's the thing, life happens. And that's okay. I still have a lot of learning to do, but if there's one thing I have learned in my ripe age of 16 years, it's that perfection is not always perfect. Life gets in the way, and it's not the end of the world. People change, friends come and go, mistakes are made, plans are changed, the list can go on, and on, and on. I've been thinking about this quite a lot lately. I'm trying to find ways I can cope with the with both the changes happening around me and the imperfections that come with life. I'm not always great at staying calm on the inside, and I wish I could be better about that. High school is kind of, okay, really filled with changes. It's crazy how much goes on around me. I'm trying to learn that I don't need to know every detail of my friends' lives. I can still be great friends with a person if I don't know who called them in the last day, why they're mad, or why they like a boy. I'm hoping I can just let my brain relax, instead of panic. I'm hoping my stomach won't do that little flip when one of my friends says they like someone. After all, my friends don't belong to me. With the new year, I'm hoping for more balance, less worrying, being more accepting, being less clingy, and maybe, if it ever comes around, being less of a perfectionist. I'm trying to learn that change can be good, sometimes scary, but good. Life is too short to be anxious about the silly stuff. I say that with myself in mind, because I know it will make life easier for me and the people around me. There's lots of room for improvement. Sometimes, you just have to take a few steps back to go one step forward. Those few steps back give insight and knowledge, and a clear head to look at the big picture. As we go through life, it's sort of like an oil painting. In the present, the paint just seems like oddly mixed globs of color full of ugly mistakes. But when we finish the painting called life, the ugly mistakes and oddly mixed globs of color make a beautiful mural. A mural that tells a story of sadness, pain, pure joy, confusion, and complete beauty. It has rolling hills in the background and very distant mountains. There is a gorgeous sunset, outlined by towering trees and crashing waves of the ocean that's full of life. Maybe there's a beach, full of polished shells, the remnant of a home once used by a tiny but complex form of life. Suddenly, the mistakes that were so awful aren't anymore. Together, they create a breathtaking image, full of meaning. And yet, the awe-inspiring mural doesn't tell half the story. In the end, the full meaning of life lies within your heart.

Sometimes you have a moment.

Update

It is halfway into the school year. A long time ago I wished school could be over. Well, The good thing is I am going... to Mt. Rainier to innertube on February ninth. My brother is getting married. Aimee no longer goes to SPU, Stacy is in Hawaii. I still have a lot of homework. It is cold here in Washington, but we had snow once. And it melted really fast (in December).

Homework Hoard

I am buried in homework. And I do not have time.  I am doing sports and such. Please can I just get a break???? Pardon me, I have to go do HOMEWORK!!

My Thoughts

My sisters have left for college. One went to Hawaii (byuh) . The other went to Seattle (spu). I feel very lonely and sad.

School...

Well. School starts the day after Labor Day. September 4th. I am sad and excited. I will be going into 7th grade.

It's from fifth grade.