What I'm Listening To

Three songs that flow flawlessly into one.

It's a song about courage and going into the unknown

everything's gonna get lighter even if it never gets better. 

happy finals. 

i'm alive.

I haven't been writing as much as I would like to be. 

All I know is I need more of this little nugget in my life.

she thought photo booth was just the funniest. 

2014.

.... dare greatly. reach deeper. give more thanks. for happiness and heartbreak. move on. by that i mean forward. explore new cities. carry a camera. read. know your occupation. make space. both in my home and heart. floss. smile. write more letters. don't apologize. not for what you feel. sleep. be in motion. lean deeper into life. forgive. speak the truth. be gentle. paint your nails. say no. ask for help. remember your worth. rediscover wholehearted living - real life is right now, not later. laugh. laugh a lot. quit comparing. have confidence in where you are. do good. embrace the challenge. notice the quiet. breathe life in to your actions. cherish each day. create the gift that is the coming year... 

missed conncetions

it astonishes me how many connections are made and lost because of mere seconds. 

flight connections. human connections. 

today I connected with a person who I should have connected with summer 2012. 

perhaps it's all part of a larger plan.

the times we're asked to be alone.

followed shortly by the times we realize how close we really all are as human beings. 

really you just need to open your eyes, slow down for a moment, and start speaking.

Tonight, I'm thankful for my major, the way it brings people together, and the fact that I might actually have some solid roommates again. 

. . .

if the whole world was blind, how many people would you impress?

On giving.

A facebook post is behind these thoughts:

"Sam Pietrzak: Sarah Brothers-  you're number eight for letters. the arrow pointing whichever way you want. Jenna Miller was talking about how she doesn't like to cry this morning, and it made me immediately think of you. Thank you for giving so much of yourself. And the other day i came over the hill on the way to the train station... the view is much better with some breaks in the trees now that the leaves are gone. I remember trying to show it to you, but was like "well **** i guess we missed it."

Backstory:

I worked at camp Ramapo this summer. Sam was the challenge director and we would have evaluations after each session of campers before the next one to talk about what we could improve in order to make camp the best possible experience.

In my first eval, Sam had said something about giving so much and as we talked I started crying, (and I HATE crying in front of other people) because I was frustrated. I believed (and still do believe) in those kids so much. And even though I would sometimes walk away at the end of a group thinking that fell to pieces, I never stopped trying.

I didn't realize the significance of this until today during church. I was thinking about life, where I want to go, where I've been, and recent decisions. I started reading The Living Christ It occurred to me that it would be unnatural to be anything besides invested in all that I do. 

As I live my life and learn more and more I strive to model my living after Christ. While here on this earth, He gave everything."He gave his life to atone for the sins of all mankind."  He is the perfect example of charity. As we begin to know Him and understand His love for us this love literally becomes apart of us and we reflect this understanding in our actions. 

I have a deeply held gratitude for the gift that has been given to me to live and be fully invested in all that I do. I am also so thankful for the knowledge that I have of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy that it brings to life. 

if you'd like to learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the message of joy click here

Tonight

I am thankful for a few things. 

siblings who take care of you. 

temples. 

"story of my life" by 1d.

raw conversations. 

and the realization that I've changed. 

in the best way.