Kentucky Girl Luck

If you are lucky enough to be alive, you are lucky enough. I can’t even put into words how lucky I feel to have the life I live. I am not just alive, I am living. But after hearing from some rather important people in my life that my blog can make me sound bitter or puts them in a depressed mood after reading it I thought I needed to lighten things up here. And then I told them, “If you don’t like it, don’t read it.” Which I still believe holds true but maybe they had a point. Maybe I need to share more of my joy since I have that too. However, if you are really concerned if I am depressed or bitter then call me. Talk to me. Let’s swap stories. News flash: I don’t put everything going on in my life in my blog. There is a lot more to my day to day than what you see here, on Facebook, or Twitter.

Back in February (yes that long ago) I was posting a positive a day. Back then I really needed those positives to keep me going. I needed the constant reminder that things were going to be okay and I was happy. Today I don’t feel the need to do that, every day I feel that I am surrounded by positivism. I leave my apartment with the sun coming up and as I am walking down the stairs I always think, “Wow, another day. Here we go! Let’s do it!” Some days, more than others, I reflect on how it feels to live on my own in Virginia and take care of myself. I draw so much pride in my independence and enjoy using that feeling to have productive days. (Other days I just jam out to Ke$ha in the car and I am not ashamed about that either!) There is something about the mountains surrounding the valley and the fog lingering in the air that makes me feel like this life is so much bigger than me. The interconnectedness of the world can really make your mind spin if you think about it.

I am thinking about all of this today because last night I was talking to friend who was feeling down. And we all have days like that, don’t we? Everything I said he had a reason to why I was wrong. I knew I should have just been there for him and listened. I knew I wasn’t going to change his mind. He didn’t need to want my advice. But I have that spark in me that still believes no matter how terrible and rough life gets, it ain’t all that bad. I couldn’t help but try to convince him of the worthiness and purpose he holds in my life, and so many others, simply by being here on this earth. Sometimes when you are feeling so bad nothing but time can make it better. I’d challenge him though, if he is reading this, to do something with that time. The power isn’t in the time – it is in what you do with it.

I really don’t believe that people can be happy 100% of their life and I don’t believe people want to be. You have to know some sadness to appreciate joy when it is present. Embrace the sadness, bitterness, anger, guilt, whatever you think it might be in your life that is holding you back and love that feeling. Recognize it and know it and be glad that you have it because that means you are here. If you are using your time right soon enough you will know the feelings of joy, freedom, happiness, and peace that might replace it. So my question to you, friends, is what do you do with your time? When the going gets tough and the tough get going – what are you doing? How do you fill your “time” so it changes you?

Today I plan on cleaning my apartment. Yes, some of it is my mess but lots of it is my roommate’s and she is gone this weekend. I’m going to clean it anyway. I love her and can give a little bit to her in this way. I am also going to send a few snail mail cards to people I care about. There is just something special about a greeting card if you ask me. And my last goal for today is to create a presentation for a conference I’ll be going to next weekend. The presentation is about how to get into a student affairs grad program and know that it is right for you. I am thrilled to be able to share my passion for this field with others. I am going to ask once more before I sign out – what are you doing with your time?