...

"The most constant thing is change."

-President Thomas S. Monson

I should probably learn to get used to it, huh?

sunrises and sunsets, etc.

If I had to choose between sunrises and sunsets, I would definitely go with the former. Sunrises are full of hope and renewal; the beginning of a day means the opportunity for adventure and progression.  Plus, fewer people see them so they are more special.  However, I really like days when I'm in a position to see both the sun rise and the sun set--like today.  They are the perfect bookends to hours chalk full of productivity.

Moving on...

I absolutely ADORE the Olympics.  Always have. Always will.  My first Olympic memory was the 1996 games in Atlanta.  My eight-year-old eyes were mesmerized with athletes like Kerri Strug sticking that famous vault, Michael Johnson with his gold cleats, and Amy Van Dyken winning four gold medals in the pool.  I'd just started club swimming in 1996 and while watching my favorite American athletes stand with gold medals hanging around their necks singing the national anthem, I decided I wanted to be an Olympian.  In fact, I calculated that I would be in the prime of my swimming career during the 2008 games.  Consequently, after every journal entry until around the age of eleven I wrote "2008" as a reminder of my goal.

Shortly thereafter, I was rudely awakened out of my naiveté.  No one explicitly told me I couldn't be an Olympian, but somehow I looked around at the other swimmers and decided I was too short, too slow, no natural talent, and there was no way I would even make it to collegiate swimming, let alone the Olympics.  I decided I would spend my life watching athletes win and lose from the couch; I lost the dream.

Most would say life finally smacked me into reality.  And they're probably right.  The percentage of athletes that actually make the Olympic team is minuscule.  I really am short.  And I really don't have much natural talent.  But I often wonder what could have been if I hadn't lost my goal; if I had worked harder and unapologetically believed in myself.  Indeed, what would happen if we hardened, cynical adults still dreamed with child-like idealism?  How would the world be different?  How much happier would we be?

While on study abroad, I found my dreaming self again.  Europe tends to do that to a person.  Everything seemed possible.  "Can't" momentarily fell from my vocabulary.  No one, especially myself, told me something was unreachable.  And it's time to get back to that attitude.  I'm not just talking about sports; I'm talking about life.  And watching athletes like 38-year old Kristin Armstrong win the individual time trial in cycling, the US women's soccer team bounce back from a crushing defeat one year ago to win the gold medal, and Wojdan Shaherkani become the first female athlete to compete for Saudi Arabia it just the thing to help that mentality return.  Here's to dreaming...

Think About It

I've been thinking frequently about the subject of happiness over the past few months and I think this post presents some interesting ideas on the subject.  Enjoy!

merry belated half christmas!

a few days back, a dear friend of mine had her half birthday.  in my opinion, half birthdays are dreadfully under-celebrated, so i tried to give this half-birthday the credit it was due.  then this friend and i got to talking about how wonderful it would be if we celebrated every half holiday.  there would be half halloween in april, half thanksgiving in may, half independence day in january, half st. patrick's day in september, and so on and so forth.  you'd plan the same types of festivities, but reduce the intensity by (you guessed it) half.  (let's be honest. we just want more excuses to have a party.)  not counting half new year's,  the most recent major half holiday was half christmas and as such, we've decided to celebrate it a few weeks late.  so.

HAPPY BELATED HALF CHRISTMAS E'RYBODY!

we will be celebrating with half a christmas movie, sugar cookies cut in half, and half of a decorated christmas tree.

wouldn't it be fun if we celebrated quarter holidays, too? 

then you could wish everyone (for example) happy three-quarters st. patrick's day!

{insert thing here} of the {insert time frame here}

Song of the Month:

continuing with the music theme...

Artist of the Last Two Weeks:

Peter Bradley Adams

Head-turning Sight of the Day:

Driving past someone riding a horse on the sidewalk in the middle of the city.

Desire of the Summer:

Roadtrip.

Smell of the Weekend:

underage drinking, cigarette smoke, marijuana, and sweat. 

lest you worry, i was not participating in any of the aforementioned things.  except the sweating-- the concert was outside.

Lesson(s) of the Last 6 Months:
With uncertainty comes humility.

Life is much better when you try and incorporate as many movie quotes and musicals as possible.

Flying is awesome. 

You are much happier when you forget yourself and serve others.
I need people.

The infinite power of hope.

Quote of the Week:

The good works that really matter require the help of heaven. And the help of heaven requires working past the point of fatigue so far that only the meek and lowly will keep going long enough. The Lord doesn't put us through this test just to give us a grade; he does it because the process will change us.

-President Henry B. Eyring

bucket list item #37

i just watched a national geographic documentary on the appalachian trail.

if i wasn't completely set on hiking it before, i sure am now.

it's gonna happen.  all 2,000 miles of it.  i may not know when, but i will do it. preferably in chacos.

just thought i'd let you all know. happy thursday!

...

i'm currently sitting in the denver international airport on my way home from a (brief) visit to utah.  you see, i was supposed to be running a ragnar relay this past weekend, but due to a series of unfortunate events, running said ragnar relay became a physical impossibility.

now, it would be strange to say that i'm grateful i broke my ankle 6 weeks ago...

but i'm grateful i broke my ankle 6 weeks ago.

an odd statement, i know.  truth be told, the repercussions of my decision to slide into home plate have certainly tested my physical and emotional limits.  however, i've also had experiences and gained a perspective that i wouldn't trade for an unbroken bone.

funny how that happens.

and i already miss this: