“There is a difference between passive goodness and active goodness, which is, in my opinion, the giving of one’s time and energy in the alleviation of pain and suffering. It entails going out, finding and helping those in suffering and danger and not merely in leading an exemplary life in a purely passive way of doing no wrong.”’
Sir Nicholas Winton, 1909-2015
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
"Losses aren’t cataclysmic if they teach the heart and
soul their natural cycle of breaking and healing. A
real tragedy? That’s the loss of the heart and soul
themselves. If you’ve abandoned yourself in the effort to keep anyone or anything else, unlearn that pattern. Live your truth, losses be damned. Just like that, your heart and soul will return home."
–Martha Beck
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Sunday, March 8, 2015
It's the little things
I have this Lilly Pulitzer photo album, and it holds 100 photos, and so right after I graduated college I began the daunting task of searching for my top 100 photos from college, which was WAY harder than it sounds. I document everything. I basically have at least 400 photos for each year I was in school, minimum.
Some of the photos that made the cut and blurry and awful, but when I see them I am reminded of just how wonderful my friends are.
Take the above photo, this was my birthday a month into my freshman year. Prior to 2010, my birthday had always been a big celebration with friends and the start of school, and we would hang out and celebrate for close to 24 hours, complete with water balloons, cake fights, and chalk graffiti. So I was pretty bummed for my birthday because it was the first time I would be celebrating without most of my friends in 8 years. Four of my friends took the time to show me that small gestures can mean just as much. These two drove me all around town getting my favorite things from my favorite restaurants. Mac and cheese and sweet tea from McAlisters, chicken nuggets from Chick-Fil-A, miso soup from Chopsticks, and a Cranberry Limeade from Sonic for good measure. They did this without having to ask what I wanted. They knew because I'm a creature of habit (still am- that will never change) and once I find something I like I stick with it. After the perfect dinner, one of my other friends had planned this wonderful scavenger hunt around town. Clues at each place, and what was really great is that he hadn't even experienced all of these places with me. He had just heard me talk about them and knew the places in town that mattered to me. That's what friends do. They listen to your crazy stories, notice what you order, and know that not having all of your friends around for your birthday will make you sad, even if you don't say it out loud.
Some of the photos that made the cut and blurry and awful, but when I see them I am reminded of just how wonderful my friends are.
 |
| My 19th birthday |
So, here's to all of the friends who make life memorable and enjoyable. I really am blessed to have so many people who I care for, and who know me better than I know myself.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Moving Mountains With Teaspoons
I get that I've only been out of Texas for a month now, and basically a week of that was travel and training, and I've only been at my job for three weeks, blah blah blah....
But can it really be this easy to fall into such a great routine? A routine where I get the alone time that I crave, and still begin the process of making friends, while getting back into healthy eating habits and loving my job and the area?
I'm sorry. That sounds really stupid, and I might hate everything that I'm doing in six months, but I really doubt it. This feels perfect.
I look forward to my job every morning. I wake up earlier than I need to, so I can be ready and alert when I get to the office because I just love it there. I haven't willingly woken up earlier than I needed to since 4th grade, if that puts it in perspective for you. My supervisor is possibly one of the coolest people I've met in the last three years. I love what I get to do at my job. I manage our seasonal troops. They typically meet during lunch periods or in after-school programs. I get to do lesson planning and watch what works, while simultaneously looking for volunteers to take over these troops so they can function when I leave. Eventually I'll get to try my hand at grant writing, sending out newsletters and press releases, and form new partnerships with other community partners. Seriously, this job is giving me all of the professional skills that I need to make sure that nonprofit work is what I want to do.
I attended a nonprofit panel that's focus was Intergenerational Leadership and how to prepare the upcoming generation (mine) for roles in nonprofits. I wasn't even surprised to be the youngest person in the room by probably 10 years. This kind of stuff matters. They were discussing how to communicate with our generation, and I was learning a lot about the impression we give off, and some of the broader generalizations that we've been given. What was interesting is that, despite the internet saying everyone hates us, most of the people in that room were welcoming us with open arms. They understand that we think and communicate in new ways that they've never considered, and that we might have fresh perspectives on what they've been doing.
My favorite college professor gave me one of the best lessons I've ever had. I was in her office and we were talking about a variety of things, and she handed me a teaspoon. She explained that sometimes the work we do is like moving "mountains with teaspoons" and you can't always see the immediate long term effects or any effect at all, but that doesn't mean you're not doing something worthwhile. We were talking about behavior analysis and autism therapy, but I think that lesson has carried over into pretty much any aspect of my life since I learned it three years ago. So now that I'm living by the mountains, and doing work that can be very mountainous, I just have to remind myself that slowly but surely, I'm chipping away. That makes every single email, lesson plan, and craft project more than worth it. Also, the teaspoon she gave me sits proudly on my desk.
So here's to mountains, nonprofits, hot coffee and tea, majestic puddles with mountain reflections in them, and one month gone from Texas. What a glorious and growth filled month its been. I can't wait to see what the next eleven months hold in store.
But can it really be this easy to fall into such a great routine? A routine where I get the alone time that I crave, and still begin the process of making friends, while getting back into healthy eating habits and loving my job and the area?
I'm sorry. That sounds really stupid, and I might hate everything that I'm doing in six months, but I really doubt it. This feels perfect.
I look forward to my job every morning. I wake up earlier than I need to, so I can be ready and alert when I get to the office because I just love it there. I haven't willingly woken up earlier than I needed to since 4th grade, if that puts it in perspective for you. My supervisor is possibly one of the coolest people I've met in the last three years. I love what I get to do at my job. I manage our seasonal troops. They typically meet during lunch periods or in after-school programs. I get to do lesson planning and watch what works, while simultaneously looking for volunteers to take over these troops so they can function when I leave. Eventually I'll get to try my hand at grant writing, sending out newsletters and press releases, and form new partnerships with other community partners. Seriously, this job is giving me all of the professional skills that I need to make sure that nonprofit work is what I want to do.
I attended a nonprofit panel that's focus was Intergenerational Leadership and how to prepare the upcoming generation (mine) for roles in nonprofits. I wasn't even surprised to be the youngest person in the room by probably 10 years. This kind of stuff matters. They were discussing how to communicate with our generation, and I was learning a lot about the impression we give off, and some of the broader generalizations that we've been given. What was interesting is that, despite the internet saying everyone hates us, most of the people in that room were welcoming us with open arms. They understand that we think and communicate in new ways that they've never considered, and that we might have fresh perspectives on what they've been doing.
My favorite college professor gave me one of the best lessons I've ever had. I was in her office and we were talking about a variety of things, and she handed me a teaspoon. She explained that sometimes the work we do is like moving "mountains with teaspoons" and you can't always see the immediate long term effects or any effect at all, but that doesn't mean you're not doing something worthwhile. We were talking about behavior analysis and autism therapy, but I think that lesson has carried over into pretty much any aspect of my life since I learned it three years ago. So now that I'm living by the mountains, and doing work that can be very mountainous, I just have to remind myself that slowly but surely, I'm chipping away. That makes every single email, lesson plan, and craft project more than worth it. Also, the teaspoon she gave me sits proudly on my desk.
So here's to mountains, nonprofits, hot coffee and tea, majestic puddles with mountain reflections in them, and one month gone from Texas. What a glorious and growth filled month its been. I can't wait to see what the next eleven months hold in store.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
My how time flies
Well, I'm back in Montana. This time for the forseeable future. Isn't that weird? I still think it's a little weird, but I'm happy. Really happy. I didn't realize the funk I'd let myself slip into over the last few months after I got back from my summer in Billings. I mean I obviously was happy to see all of my friends and family and eat at my favorite places again and see the things that are familiar and just feel like home, but I felt like something was missing. I realized what was missing when I was driving up, and just beginning to see the mountains again felt like a a puzzle piece slipped back into place. The view. The sense of something so much larger than yourself that it towers over you and forces you to think of your mortality
So I've been back in Montana for two weeks, and now I'm living in Flathead Valley. Every day when I drive to work I have to focus on making sure I don't get distracted by the amazing view to my left or right. Every day I feel like I lose my breath when I walk out of my apartment and see this intense fog rolling down the side of the mountain. Maybe this will become a normal view, and I won't appreciate the way the mountains get sandwiched between the low hanging clouds and the even lower fog. Soon I might not enjoy all of the rain and snow, but for now it's here and I'm loving it. I hope I don't ever grow used to the view. I don't want to take it for granted. I want to stare it down and remind myself that I am here, in this moment, and to take it for what it is, icy roads and all.
So I've been back in Montana for two weeks, and now I'm living in Flathead Valley. Every day when I drive to work I have to focus on making sure I don't get distracted by the amazing view to my left or right. Every day I feel like I lose my breath when I walk out of my apartment and see this intense fog rolling down the side of the mountain. Maybe this will become a normal view, and I won't appreciate the way the mountains get sandwiched between the low hanging clouds and the even lower fog. Soon I might not enjoy all of the rain and snow, but for now it's here and I'm loving it. I hope I don't ever grow used to the view. I don't want to take it for granted. I want to stare it down and remind myself that I am here, in this moment, and to take it for what it is, icy roads and all.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
30 Things You Should Do (At Least) Once A Year
Taken from Thought Catalog, written by Ella Ceron
1. Clean your closet, and get rid of anything you haven’t worn, anything that doesn’t fit you, anything that is too worn or ripped to repair, or anything you haven’t worn in at least a year (save for your one “interview” suit or dress, etc). Other than that, start fresh.
2. Visit your hometown, even if everybody else has moved away. Visit the last town you lived in if it’s close enough or you’re going to be passing by anyway. Remember why you don’t live there anymore. Feel grateful for what you have in comparison to what you had.
3. Go somewhere you’ve never been before, whether that’s a foreign country or a part of your own country you’ve always wanted to see but never did. It can be an hour away or a three-day road trip away. Regardless, plan to just see something you’ve never seen before — just once.
4. Get a massage. It’s good for your body, helps you realign muscles and joints that might have shifted, and puts you back in tune with how your body is supposed to feel.
5. Drink cheap wine to keep you humble and hungry. Remind yourself why you ought to work hard for the good stuff but if you do this with friends on a roof somewhere, it’s a good memory on its own. (Just drink a lot of water so your hangover doesn’t hurt too badly tomorrow. But really, only do this one once. Life is too short for bad booze.)
6. Volunteer somewhere. Do this one especially more than once a year. It’s good for your soul, your mind, your heart, and your community.
7. Make a new friend — a real friend, not just an acquaintance you friended on Facebook after a party and never spoke to again — or five.
8. Challenge yourself physically in some slightly crazy, I-can’t-believe-I-did-that kind of way, whether that’s a marathon, a class at the gym you’ve always been too intimidated to try, finally lose those last 10 pounds, or even a baby if this is that year and that’s what you’re ready for. (That last one is the hardest and biggest challenge of them all.)
9. Actually make (and go to) all the doctor, dentist, and whatever other appointments that are so easy to blow off.
10. Rewatch your favorite movie, or reread your favorite book — and see if there’s now something else that jumps out at you with either age, experience, or simply new eyes.
11. Go somewhere really nice to eat. Like, more forks than you think you’ll use nice. Dress up for it. It doesn’t have to be a date. Go with your best friend and make a night of it.
12. Call in sick to work. Play hooky because you can, for your mental health. (Only do this once, though. Your boss might grow suspicious otherwise.)
13. Have champagne and cake for dinner for no other reason than this: Because. You. Can.
14. Try something you’ve sworn all your life that you absolutely hate — but maybe just never really gave a chance.
15. Ask for a raise, or ask what you can do to improve if you don’t yet deserve one. Work towards that.
16. Make a conscious effort to thank all the people you might be taking for granted in your day-to-day life (like your building’s super, the man who runs the laundromat, your barista, even the kid who checks you in at the gym every morning).
17. Go up to your roof if you can, and get a new perspective on the world, and on your place in it.
18. Spend a whole day walking everywhere to run your errands. No cars, no bikes, no public transportation, just walking. See what you notice when the world isn’t whizzing by you at dozens of miles an hour.
19. Go without (or with less of) a favorite vice — whether that’s smoking, drinking, sugar, or even something as seemingly innocuous as that morning coffee — for a week. See how you feel.
20. Get fitted by a professional tailor so you know what size you are (and if you’re a woman, get your bra fitted, too).
21. Learn how to cook a new meal. Invite people over to share it with you.
22. Leave your phone at home for an afternoon. See what happens when you unplug.
23. Spend time in nature, whether that’s on a day hike on a nearby trail, or a few days camping with your family and friends.
24. Go to a museum, see a band or a sports game live, or watch a play or a musical. Experience culture without the help of an illuminated screen.
25. Spend a Friday night in. Order takeout, dance around to guilty pleasure music in your underwear, take a really long bath, whatever speaks to you in that moment.
26. Stare your naked body in a mirror. Make peace — and offer love — to every little inch of you that stares back.
27. Buy flowers for someone you love and appreciate. (That someone can even be yourself.)
28. Reach out to someone whose career you admire. Build a connection. See what you might be able to learn from them — and even how you might be able to help them, too.
29. Try to make amends with someone with whom you might have drifted or had a falling out. If you can’t fix the relationship, at least let that wound heal as healthfully as possible.
30. Ask yourself if you’re happy. And if you’re not, ask yourself what might help you work towards getting there. And then make it happen. Because, yes, you deserve to be happy.
1. Clean your closet, and get rid of anything you haven’t worn, anything that doesn’t fit you, anything that is too worn or ripped to repair, or anything you haven’t worn in at least a year (save for your one “interview” suit or dress, etc). Other than that, start fresh.
2. Visit your hometown, even if everybody else has moved away. Visit the last town you lived in if it’s close enough or you’re going to be passing by anyway. Remember why you don’t live there anymore. Feel grateful for what you have in comparison to what you had.
3. Go somewhere you’ve never been before, whether that’s a foreign country or a part of your own country you’ve always wanted to see but never did. It can be an hour away or a three-day road trip away. Regardless, plan to just see something you’ve never seen before — just once.
4. Get a massage. It’s good for your body, helps you realign muscles and joints that might have shifted, and puts you back in tune with how your body is supposed to feel.
5. Drink cheap wine to keep you humble and hungry. Remind yourself why you ought to work hard for the good stuff but if you do this with friends on a roof somewhere, it’s a good memory on its own. (Just drink a lot of water so your hangover doesn’t hurt too badly tomorrow. But really, only do this one once. Life is too short for bad booze.)
6. Volunteer somewhere. Do this one especially more than once a year. It’s good for your soul, your mind, your heart, and your community.
7. Make a new friend — a real friend, not just an acquaintance you friended on Facebook after a party and never spoke to again — or five.
8. Challenge yourself physically in some slightly crazy, I-can’t-believe-I-did-that kind of way, whether that’s a marathon, a class at the gym you’ve always been too intimidated to try, finally lose those last 10 pounds, or even a baby if this is that year and that’s what you’re ready for. (That last one is the hardest and biggest challenge of them all.)
9. Actually make (and go to) all the doctor, dentist, and whatever other appointments that are so easy to blow off.
10. Rewatch your favorite movie, or reread your favorite book — and see if there’s now something else that jumps out at you with either age, experience, or simply new eyes.
11. Go somewhere really nice to eat. Like, more forks than you think you’ll use nice. Dress up for it. It doesn’t have to be a date. Go with your best friend and make a night of it.
12. Call in sick to work. Play hooky because you can, for your mental health. (Only do this once, though. Your boss might grow suspicious otherwise.)
13. Have champagne and cake for dinner for no other reason than this: Because. You. Can.
14. Try something you’ve sworn all your life that you absolutely hate — but maybe just never really gave a chance.
15. Ask for a raise, or ask what you can do to improve if you don’t yet deserve one. Work towards that.
16. Make a conscious effort to thank all the people you might be taking for granted in your day-to-day life (like your building’s super, the man who runs the laundromat, your barista, even the kid who checks you in at the gym every morning).
17. Go up to your roof if you can, and get a new perspective on the world, and on your place in it.
18. Spend a whole day walking everywhere to run your errands. No cars, no bikes, no public transportation, just walking. See what you notice when the world isn’t whizzing by you at dozens of miles an hour.
19. Go without (or with less of) a favorite vice — whether that’s smoking, drinking, sugar, or even something as seemingly innocuous as that morning coffee — for a week. See how you feel.
20. Get fitted by a professional tailor so you know what size you are (and if you’re a woman, get your bra fitted, too).
21. Learn how to cook a new meal. Invite people over to share it with you.
22. Leave your phone at home for an afternoon. See what happens when you unplug.
23. Spend time in nature, whether that’s on a day hike on a nearby trail, or a few days camping with your family and friends.
24. Go to a museum, see a band or a sports game live, or watch a play or a musical. Experience culture without the help of an illuminated screen.
25. Spend a Friday night in. Order takeout, dance around to guilty pleasure music in your underwear, take a really long bath, whatever speaks to you in that moment.
26. Stare your naked body in a mirror. Make peace — and offer love — to every little inch of you that stares back.
27. Buy flowers for someone you love and appreciate. (That someone can even be yourself.)
28. Reach out to someone whose career you admire. Build a connection. See what you might be able to learn from them — and even how you might be able to help them, too.
29. Try to make amends with someone with whom you might have drifted or had a falling out. If you can’t fix the relationship, at least let that wound heal as healthfully as possible.
30. Ask yourself if you’re happy. And if you’re not, ask yourself what might help you work towards getting there. And then make it happen. Because, yes, you deserve to be happy.
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