So, bypassing a fancy intro (I do that a lot..), I got a call from Hallmark today saying that one of my poems is going to make it into a book (in the top 50 of 2,865 entries)! WOO HOO! It may sound pathetic, but being published in some capacity by Hallmark was on my Bucket List. Criss cross applesauce- I'm one step closer to dying an accomplished woman! And for all you Curious George's out there, I wrote the poem last year for Mother's Day and tweaked it a little so it would be 'just right' for Hallmark's 'Thanks, Mom' book.
See? Underneath all this crap that I write, there really is some small bit of talent that's able to poke it's dazzlingly blonde head out every now and then.
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Do you ever feel like you're living for the future? I do. I think a lot of people in school feel this way--a little angsty, just waiting for the days when they no longer have to get up, go to class, come home, do homework, and possibly work an additional job (or three...). Now, I realize that adults are constantly referring to these days as "The best!", but I'm banking on it getting a little better. Speaking of banking, I can't wait to finally be making sufficient money. Now, whoever shakes their finger at you and says, "Money can't buy you happiness" has clearly never had a hobby or midlife crisis. I'd agree with the statement, "Money can't buy you love", but I think with all the cool toys, cars, vacations, medications, etc., you can buy yourself a fair amount of happiness.
Don't get me wrong--it's not like I think my life sucks right now or anything--I'm almost finished with school, it's summer, and I live in a pretty awesome place. However, that's not to say that things couldn't be improved. Let's take tonight for example: it's Friday night and I'm sitting in my apartment by myself, wearing spandex (you don't have to wear real outfits when you live by yourself!). I'm eating applesauce out of the jar for dinner (no sugar added, mind you) because I haven't been grocery shopping in a few days and I'm listening to Prince on repeat (two songs..over and over). I think I've just painted for you the 'Self-Portrait of Patheticism'. And people said I'd never be a model...boy did I show them! I was told today that my mind is like the 8th wonder of the world. Now, this isn't the first time I've heard something along these lines..."I always get a kick out of the funny things that go on in that mind of yours" or "You think the weirdest things" or "Kate, what on earth were you thinking?!" I'm going to assume all these things were meant to be taken as compliments..
Anywho, if you're looking for cool questions to ask people, here are a few I usually ask: - If you were to be a dinosaur, which one would you be? - Classic superhero question: which superpower would you want? - If you had 3 wishes from a genie and you couldn't wish for more wishes, what would you want? - Would you rather have humongous ears or a tail? - What cereal best describes your personality--be prepared to explain it. - If you had $100 that you had to spend today (you can't put it in the bank), what would you spend it on? - If you could be a character in any fiction book, who would you be? - Would you rather go a week without bathing but be able to change your clothes or a week without changing your clothes but being able to bathe? Happy conversing! Let's talk about loss. I'm not talking, "Crap, I lost my keys" or "I swear I'm losing my mind"; I'm talking real-life, hard to digest, put you in shock, shut yourself down, heart-wrenching, mind-numbing loss. Now, I know no one reads my website for serious stuff--hell, I don't think anyone actually reads this at all--but I'm gonna throw out my thoughts and pretend anyways. Loss hits us all. It sucks, it's difficult, and it's painful. But it's also a lesson. It's a new start and a challenge. It's hard to find a silver lining, but death gives us a chance to test ourselves and show us that we can overcome anything; and like all things, it's a process. You start out with what feels like a gaping hole in the middle of your heart. With time, this hole will shrink, though I'm sure that it never fully goes away--and who would want it to? The healing part of death is not like an argument; the point is not 'to forgive and forget', but rather to accept and remember.
Obviously, the acceptance part will take a while, and that's okay--it's kind of the point. The journey to acceptance is a painful, but important one. This journey can help remind us how much we care for those we've lost and how much we'll miss them. It reminds us of the impact that a single person can make. It reminds us of our own mortality. It reminds us of all the good times we've shared, the bad times we've weathered, and perhaps the shared times we've lost. It's like Nietzsche said, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger". My apologies for the obvious crassness of the quote, but the message is perfectly applicable. Our lives are designed to challenge us and help us grow--we overcome the pitfalls, obstacles, and curveballs life throws at us. Out of survival, we change and we adapt; and our adaptability lends us to much success, deeper appreciation, and a greater strength of character. Death is perhaps one of the cruelest, yet greatest teachers of all. From it we learn to celebrate life, to live in the moment, to be unafraid to love, and to remember those who have touched our lives and be thankful for the opportunity of having known them. Life does not end with death. In this cruel way, death reminds us how truly blessed we are. |