Where are you, life?

With a lot going on right now, I thought maybe I'd take a second to share some things that have been in my head today--quotes, thoughts, whatnot.

"We all let people into our lives, but you will find that really good friends let you into your own."

"If we did all the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves." --Thomas Edison

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and common sense." --Buddha

Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

"The world is full of people who will go their whole lives and not actually live one day. She did not intend on being one of them."

You have found a place in my heart, and so that place is yours. It will fly your flag, speak your language, and honor you with festive parades forever.

We will never be the same as we were before this loss, but we are ever so much better for having had something so great to lose.

Just when you think you know love, something comes along to remind you just how big it really is.

"I'm not sure," she said "at what point it is advisable to admit to liking you a great deal more than I planned."

The world is not going to come to you. The sooner you realize this, the more time you'll have to pack.

Sometimes your nearness takes my breath away. And all the things I want to say can find no voice. Then in silence, I can only hope my eyes will speak my heart.

"She took a deep breath, declared herself free and thanked herself for being so patient with it."

It is without question our duty to honor the love of every humble heart as we would our very own. Greater are those who are with love than all who are against.

Love is not just caring deeply, above all it is 
understanding. 
--Francoise Sagan

Hope

Studying my scriptures is definitely something I should do a lot more often. Why? Because it always seems that I can't get through a single chapter without finding something incredibly profound and relatable to my life.

Moroni 10:22

"And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity."

I've been struggling with this hope thing lately. I feel like I've really picked up on a lot of things here at BYU, really learned valuable lessons, really found myself. But having hope that the future will be okay? That sometimes (frequently, actually) eludes me.

And as I read this scripture, I thought to myself "we only lose hope when we let go of it". And if hope is something that I desparately want--why would I ever let go of it??

I don't think it's something that anyone does intentionally. Maybe scripture study and daily prayer slip.....maybe small acts of service are forgotten....and then hope slips away as we slowly lose grip on our lives.

So basically, I need to step it up.

And I need to be understanding with myself when I fail. Because I will sometimes. And that's not okay, but it's not the end of the world. My hope doesn't need to go away forever because of one mistake. I need to be able to pick myself up, walk back to where Christ is standing, kneel and ask to be forgiven, and then let him lead me on.

Perhaps this is one of the most important things we can ask of our Savior. Perhaps it is one of the most important things He can give us.

Rest.

And if He cannot take the burdens from us, He can strengthen our backs. We can bear all things in Him. We just need to live so that we can have hope in Him.

I need to live so that I can have hope in Him.

I guess I gotta do this....

The "Liebster Award" ? I've been awarded. It's given from blogger to blogger, passed along little blogs who have less than 200 hundred followers.

I have WAAY less than 200 followers. In fact, 200 followers is more than I ever hope to receive. Ever.

Haha. Anyway--my Mother over at brasier house awarded me this fabulous honor, and now it is my duty to pass it along.

You actually probably should go read her blog for more info--you can find her post HERE explaining where it came from and what it means. It's really cute--my Mom has quite a knack for blogging! She started up in December this year--just December!!!

She now has 127 followers--in just four months! I'd recommend that you follow her...but that would sound like a shameless familial plug. I'd NEVER wanna do that, would I?

Anyway. Now I have to choose a couple of blogs to award. Here goes:

1. Little Miss Kelly over at My Blue Eyes. She is so fantastically adorable. She's only 13, but she has a natural talent for writing, and she sees fantastic insights in even the smallest things. She's cute and quirky and really, I'm gonna go for the shameless plug thing here: Check her out--follow her! It's worth it.
2. This is for Lauren Allred of How To Save A Life. The thing I love about her blog is that she uses it to help herself learn valuable lessons. It's always fun to read her posts because they teach me something that maybe I'd never thought of before, or never dared to explore quite so deeply. She's not afraid to question herself, and that, I think, is a valuable quality to have.

So anyway. I'm done, I guess. Go check these girls out. All....13 of you who even read my blog.

While

Yes, there exists this truth: everybody wants to be that quintessential person. Everyone wishes "If only" they could be more than they are. Every person I have ever met has a picture in their head of the "If" they want to become.

So that's what this life is: a chance for a few people to take what they are and change it into what they can be. Because sometimes the process is infinitely more important than the actual event. It would be impossible for a person to take their painfully imperfect selves and simply transform into this magically whole person. They would be missing many key traits and experience that are the very essence of what it means to be whole.

Also--they wouldn't really exist. Because a person who is whole is one who has fallen and risen. A circle must be made up of the top and the bottom, and light only exists because of dark--or else how would we know what light even meant? There must be failure and success. A process.

 This is a record of that--the actual process. The part that is, I would argue, the most important part.

Taylor Stinnett

"To become the person I want to be--

• Evaluate myself using my experiences as well as what I see in others to make mylife the best I can. 
• Keep myself physically active in order to maintain a healthy body and a positive psyche.
• Foster the desire to expand my mind through scientific, fictional, and spiritual literature."

Stephanie Johnson

"To become the person I want to be, I am studying my patriarchal blessing and trying to live up to the characteristics described in that. I am also learning how to show my love for others because I want to be a charitable person."

Tony Hsieh

"I'm enrolling in the Honors Program, interning at Personal Economics, and networking at the Marriot School of business to become a potential employee at Goldman Sach's."

 Julia Harris

"I am working hard in school so that I can learn and be better prepared for the future. I am also trying to study and apply gospel principles into my life, including strengthening my family relationships."

Taylor Kraus

"I am at BYU working hard to get a good education. I go running and workout regularly so I can stay in good shape. I am practicing my violin and playing in a band that is helping develop my skills. I am saying my prayers and reading scriptures regularly so I can stay in tune with the spirit."

Rachel England

"What am I doing to become the person I want to be? I am doing things that I am scared to do. I am trying new things. I am challenging myself and demanding my best. I am trying  to follow the spirit in all of my decisions. I am learning from my mistakes and moving forward with confidence. I am trying to let go of the past and have hope for the future. I am trying to become more like my Savior. And I am feeling gratitude for all of the wonderful blessings my Heavenly Father has given me. What am I doing to become the person I want to be? I am trying to live my life in a way that will lead me to becoming the person I want to be."

What would this be without my own input?

I believe that becoming the person I want to be involves waking up every morning, pulling open the blinds, and smiling no matter what the weather looks like. It means surrounding myself with those I love. I believe that it means forgiving people who've hurt you even if they don't deserve it. I believe it means taking those risks so that I can prove to myself that I really could build myself up from nothing if I had to. I believe it means dreaming, waking up, and holding those dreams in my head throughout the day as I work as hard as I can to achieve them. I believe it means taking criticism, but still following my own feelings. I don't believe it means being perfect every day. I don't even believe it means trying perfectly every day. It means getting up when you fail, and trying again.

And there it is: That is what "If" looks like in process.

I have a lot of other posts to do here, but I couldn't resist posting really quick. After who knows how many hours of homework, and such a horribly weakening day....I have to share this video. It's beautiful.

Because sometimes I need to remember that I am His daughter.

There's so much more to me than I can see. But He sees it.

I need to stop forgetting that. There is a divine potential in me that I can never realize if I don't stop moping in the mud, wishing I was perfect. I'm never gonna be--at least in this life.

I am His daughter, and everything else is basically irrelevant.