And Now to Write

Arrowhead grads - do you remember how during sophomore year we had to give a bunch of speeches in our English class? While I don't remember what most of them were about, there is one that has stuck in my memory: The Soundtrack to My Life speech. Not because I got up there and froze or gave the best speech of my life. It's because the speech was about how some of the songs we listen to tell a story about us. We had to talk about 4 songs that resonated with us at various points in our lives. According to the outline I found, I chose "Graduation (Friends Forever)" by Vitamin C, "Tomorrow" from Annie , "Complicated" by Avril Lavigne, and "Real World" by Matchbox Twenty. Looking at this list, I wanted to go through the basics of this assignment again. Updating my list to reflect the 7 years that have passed (wow). So, here's a snapshot of my life via song. I've linked music videos to the song titles in case you don't know

Everyone needs a pick-me-up some days. I know I am no exception. Because of this, there is a small plastic bin I take with me every time I move. It holds all of the cards, letters, and care cards I've received over the years. They give me the reminders I occasionally need that I am enough and how much I have been blessed by and have been a blessing to the people in my life. They remind me of the little things I do that make a difference, even if I don't realize it. They affirm that the good things I strive to do and be are getting through, with or without me making a conscious effort. They remind me how widely I am loved and of my own capacity to love. Recently, I added another group of items to that bin. Now, it also contains the journals I've kept since my freshman year of high school. All of the entries that were painful to write or read alongside the ones that bring a smile to my face. Together with the notes, this bin reminds me who I was and who I am. It has the goo