How many times have you argued with your brother, sister or parents about who gets what? Who had more money spent on them, or which one of you got more of something that the other?
That’s something that happens all too often in families, from what I’ve seen.
For example, a mom takes her two daughters shopping. One of the daughters gets six shirts for two hundred dollars, but the other only gets four for the same amount of money. Naturally, the daughter who only got four shirts with think she got ripped off, even though she spent the same amount of money as her sister. That’s what my mom would call being “ungrateful.”
Every so often, my mom has to give either myself, my sister or brother the “ungrateful speech.” We all have those moments when we feel like we got the short end of the stick, but in the end, if you just think about it, how often do you actually get the shaft? Maybe you’re just not thinking, maybe you got more than you think? Maybe your parents are being fair and you just don’t see it.
So many of us spend a lot of energy focusing on what we don't have, or what didn't go our way. Meanwhile the sun is shining, the sky is blue, the grass is green, the sky is starry, our health is good, our friends are there for us.
Try this on--next time something disappointing happens, shift your focus instead to identifying 100 things that you do have to be thankful for. Then, figure out how you can channel all that wonderful positive energy into achieving whatever it is you seek.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Love Is Temporary Madness
"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two." –St. Augustine.
My boyfriend sent me this quote a few months ago and ever since then, whenever we fight or argue over something completely ridiculous, he tells me to look back at it, read it over to myself in my head, and then think about what I want. If what we’re arguing about is really worth it. Does something as simple as a text message or a misunderstood sentence worth all the trouble we put into it? Most of the time, the answer is no.
St. Augustine was right on the money with Jake and I’s relationship. We’ve been together for almost a year now, and I know that that doesn’t seem like a very long time to be relating quotes like that to your relationship, but we’ve known each other for much longer than that. Him and I met when I was in 9th grade and hit it off right away. We became great friends, but not up until November of 2009 did we start dating. Yeah, at first dating your best friend is a little weird, but in the end you have history. Which brings me to another quote. “The thing about dating a friend is that you've got history. You've got stories, and laughs that you can talk about. It's much easier, and better, then starting from scratch.” –Anonymous
Jake and I were inseparable, even while friends. If I could spend every waking moment with him, I would. He means the world to me, and without him, I don’t know what I would do.
Jake is always telling me he loves me, that he wants to be with me forever. You know, the normal stuff teenagers talk about when they are “in love.”
But at the same time, he says things to his friends like.. “I’m not in love with Meghan, she’s a part of me now.” That’s the kind of thing that really gets me thinking.
I love Jake, with all of my heart and would do anything for him, and no matter what, that will never change.
In the quote by St. Augustine, he says, that when the initial feeling of being “in love” subsides, you have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.
And that, is how I feel. I feel that if Jake and I were to lose each other, not just from breaking up, but from either an accident, or from the disease he was given, I don’t know what I would do.
To me, all of our problems, all of our differences are nothing compared to how I feel about him and that’s what I think St. Augustine is trying to get across with that quote. That being “in love” is not something you can keep forever. That being “in love” only lasts so long.
Jake and I are past that feeling of being “in love.” I’ve been in love with him since the moment I saw him, from St. Augustine’s definition. Yes, I still feel those butterflies and the breathlessness.. But what I don’t feel is that if we were to part, that I could go on with my life, happily.
My boyfriend sent me this quote a few months ago and ever since then, whenever we fight or argue over something completely ridiculous, he tells me to look back at it, read it over to myself in my head, and then think about what I want. If what we’re arguing about is really worth it. Does something as simple as a text message or a misunderstood sentence worth all the trouble we put into it? Most of the time, the answer is no.
St. Augustine was right on the money with Jake and I’s relationship. We’ve been together for almost a year now, and I know that that doesn’t seem like a very long time to be relating quotes like that to your relationship, but we’ve known each other for much longer than that. Him and I met when I was in 9th grade and hit it off right away. We became great friends, but not up until November of 2009 did we start dating. Yeah, at first dating your best friend is a little weird, but in the end you have history. Which brings me to another quote. “The thing about dating a friend is that you've got history. You've got stories, and laughs that you can talk about. It's much easier, and better, then starting from scratch.” –Anonymous
Jake and I were inseparable, even while friends. If I could spend every waking moment with him, I would. He means the world to me, and without him, I don’t know what I would do.
Jake is always telling me he loves me, that he wants to be with me forever. You know, the normal stuff teenagers talk about when they are “in love.”
But at the same time, he says things to his friends like.. “I’m not in love with Meghan, she’s a part of me now.” That’s the kind of thing that really gets me thinking.
I love Jake, with all of my heart and would do anything for him, and no matter what, that will never change.
In the quote by St. Augustine, he says, that when the initial feeling of being “in love” subsides, you have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.
And that, is how I feel. I feel that if Jake and I were to lose each other, not just from breaking up, but from either an accident, or from the disease he was given, I don’t know what I would do.
To me, all of our problems, all of our differences are nothing compared to how I feel about him and that’s what I think St. Augustine is trying to get across with that quote. That being “in love” is not something you can keep forever. That being “in love” only lasts so long.
Jake and I are past that feeling of being “in love.” I’ve been in love with him since the moment I saw him, from St. Augustine’s definition. Yes, I still feel those butterflies and the breathlessness.. But what I don’t feel is that if we were to part, that I could go on with my life, happily.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Have you ever observed a child's behavior with an adult? Have you really paid attention to their actions and the way they act?
Well I recently started school, and for one of my periods, I cadet in the Elementary for First grade teacher, Mrs. Saylor. There are many things that happen in the short 45 minutes a day I am there. For instance, there is a girl, and while in class, she is far from attentive, rambunctious and overly talkative. In the classroom setting with the teacher, she's far different than she is when it comes to recess, or being in the hallways. While in the halls and at recess, there is a guy. He helps out with the rest of the elementary children. He is very attentive and pays an overwhelming amount of attention to the children. I've noticed that more attention someone pays to the children, the better they act. Like the little girl I spoke about earlier, when she is with the male helper, she does a complete 360 from when she's in class with Mrs. Saylor. She's quiet, attentive and helpful. Why do you think that is? Maybe because he treats her like a person. He still bosses the children around and keeps them in line, but the way he treats them changes their attitudes completely. The teacher, while in the classroom is very hard headed and strict, I guess you could say. Some of the children handle that well. Some listen to close to every word she says and stay quiet, but for some reason, the girls in the class tend to be the opposite. Maybe because the teacher is a girl?
I know that while in high school, for some reason, I treat the male teachers with more respect than the females. I do, however give them all respect as people. I guess you could say I am quicker to please the male teachers than the females. I care more about what they think than the women. Why? I can't really answer that question for you. I think that perhaps, it could be that I am a female, and as a female, I am naturally attracted to males, being why I care more about their opinions and what they think of me. The same thing goes on in the Elementary. The boys treat the women with more respect and the girls treat the men with more. I guess that's natural for most people. No matter how old you are.
So I guess, in conclusion, no matter how old you are, where you're from, or what you're attracted to, nature will always take over. You will follow your instincts and do as you would no matter what your age. The elementary kids have the same behaviors as the high school kids. They just do it in their own ways.
Well I recently started school, and for one of my periods, I cadet in the Elementary for First grade teacher, Mrs. Saylor. There are many things that happen in the short 45 minutes a day I am there. For instance, there is a girl, and while in class, she is far from attentive, rambunctious and overly talkative. In the classroom setting with the teacher, she's far different than she is when it comes to recess, or being in the hallways. While in the halls and at recess, there is a guy. He helps out with the rest of the elementary children. He is very attentive and pays an overwhelming amount of attention to the children. I've noticed that more attention someone pays to the children, the better they act. Like the little girl I spoke about earlier, when she is with the male helper, she does a complete 360 from when she's in class with Mrs. Saylor. She's quiet, attentive and helpful. Why do you think that is? Maybe because he treats her like a person. He still bosses the children around and keeps them in line, but the way he treats them changes their attitudes completely. The teacher, while in the classroom is very hard headed and strict, I guess you could say. Some of the children handle that well. Some listen to close to every word she says and stay quiet, but for some reason, the girls in the class tend to be the opposite. Maybe because the teacher is a girl?
I know that while in high school, for some reason, I treat the male teachers with more respect than the females. I do, however give them all respect as people. I guess you could say I am quicker to please the male teachers than the females. I care more about what they think than the women. Why? I can't really answer that question for you. I think that perhaps, it could be that I am a female, and as a female, I am naturally attracted to males, being why I care more about their opinions and what they think of me. The same thing goes on in the Elementary. The boys treat the women with more respect and the girls treat the men with more. I guess that's natural for most people. No matter how old you are.
So I guess, in conclusion, no matter how old you are, where you're from, or what you're attracted to, nature will always take over. You will follow your instincts and do as you would no matter what your age. The elementary kids have the same behaviors as the high school kids. They just do it in their own ways.
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