Postcards Sent: 12
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If you want to see the postcards, they are posted here: http://bit.ly/bsUCSW

To sign up, go here: bit.ly/cGBQhF

So, pass along the link below, have your friends and family sign up!  And get ready for some fun postcards!

The link: http://bit.ly/cGBQhF

As we begin the yearly journey of great lent, we begin with the service of Forgiveness Vespers.  Hearing the choir singing the Paschal Canon tonight reminds me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Don’t you wish we could start every task with that thought.  And as I looked at the church and participated, I asked forgiveness from people I’ve known all my life, and those I have never seen.  It’s truly a great way to start this season.

Forgiveness is something I feel we all struggle with.  Though we may say we forgive people for things they have done to us, there are times where those are just words, and there remains a pit in the stomach.  After tonight, I have no pits left in my stomach.  Asking forgiveness is quite the challenge.  Not only does it mean you must be ok and accept what you have done, it also means you must open up and allow others to know that you have done wrong and that you are sorry for that.  There have been countless times that I have said things, thought things, or done things to other people, but it is quite hard to actually admit to many of those things.  As I begin this journey, I ask forgiveness of all of these things, past, present, and future, that I have done, whether in thought, word, or deed.

The path has been laid, and I am ready to take it.  I will grow from my past, and build upon the past to create a better future.  Thought the tunnel is dark and cold like a tomb, the light at the end will continue to shine, drawing me closer and closer.

We must learn to have patience when dealing with others, for everyone faces great battles that are unknown to us.  It takes time to make it up the mountain to be able to continue where you last left off, and by reacting too quickly and not allowing for patience, you may hurt a situation.  On the contrary, a simple request for time can help one be patient and prevent the starvation.

Learn patience, however hard it may be, and continue to hope.  ”Η αγάπη είναι υπομονετική, η αγάπη είναι καλή. Δεν φθονεί, δεν καυχάται, αυτό δεν είναι υπερήφανο. Δεν είναι αγενές, μόνος-δεν επιδιώκει, δεν θυμώνεται εύκολα, δεν διατηρεί κανένα αρχείο βλάπτει.  Η αγάπη δεν ευχαριστεί στο κακό αλλά χαίρεται με την αλήθεια. Προστατεύει πάντα, εμπιστεύεται πάντα, ελπίζει πάντα, πάντα κονσέρβες.”

I appreciate my friends.  Those that will eat a chocolate on V-day for me; those who will randomly take a SFW trip and will stay up and calm you down, those that will look at you as you sit in the passenger seat and tell you that you are perfect just the way you are and that you shouldn’t hurt yourself, those who call you when you need them the most, those who make you smile, those who randomly say hi and brighten your day, those who allow me to vent, and those that allow me to laugh and cry.  Friendships are important, and for those of you who call me their friend now, who have, and who will, I will always be there for you through thick and thin.

Life Lesson #8: You can’t go through life alone; realize you have a friend in me.

What I’ve learned is that we have become so inundated with information, that we’ve begun to forget what is important to us.  I forgot what it was like to actually have phone conversations that lasted more than a second, and how to write a letter to someone…hoping they respond.  I also didn’t realize how much time it really takes up in my life.  So much time that I could be spending outside, breathing, living, being!

Life Lesson #7: Remember what a person’s voice sounds like, and what their face looks like.  It’s not the sound of a keypad and the sight of a computer screen.

I’m glad I’m back at it, but I’m scaling down a lot!  And I’m still sending out postcards if anyone wants them!  All I need is your address!

There was a complete lack of information and contact with my friends.  Few talked to me, seeing as they all knew I wasn’t texting.  When I did call friends to talk, or tell them that something reminded me of them, they were usually excited to actually talk on the phone.  I found out how much communication actually happens online.  I found out 4 days after someone I knew died, because I wasn’t on Facebook.  Instead of using these forms of communication, I wrote letters to friends (which I hope they enjoyed!).  Definitely was interesting trying to remember how to write a letter again!

From this cleanse, I think I’ve learned a few things.  It’s important to use multiple forms of communication, but is really important to realize how much we value face to face and the voice.  I will definitely try to talk with friends via phone calls more often.

So…to starting off the new year, we’ll see what all it has in store for us, and how we communicate to each other!

I’ve been hearing a lot of different money issues that make the think about the status of the world we live in.  On one hand, we have those who don’t trust the use of money, and who have “better” ideas in their heads; better ideas that may not actually be beneficial because they are not fully thought through.  On the other hand, we have those who misuse the money that they are to safeguard and use properly.  Though I may not really know much about the way people think, it begins to make me think about how we view each other as people.

Have we begun to loose the trust that we had in each other, and the idea that we shall do good for the world?  Has greed begun to take over those institutions that have always been known as being good?

Just a little random thought, and more to come on the subject as things continue to change in this ever changing world.  I will try and continue to support the good in the world, as well as recognize the not so good.

Today marks the start on the new perspective on life.  You are in control of the way you view the world around you.  Your perspective on life determines if you’ll have a good day or a bad day.  It’s important to keep in mind that you have the ability to control the world around you.

I’m going to work on starting my days off right.  Living life to the fullest and making the day what I want it to be.  Sometimes the day brings things that are not exciting, but we must keep our heads up and persevere.  Keep that positive attitude and make sure your perspective on life is bright and positive!  I’m going to work on this and we shall see where it takes me!

I’m on my way up, are you?

I also learned the importance of growing up, and that people grow up at different points in their life, and are continually growing and changing.  I got plenty of insight on growing up from friends, as well as plenty of insight on my future grad school decisions (yeah, not sure how much longer I’ll still be in grad school…but we’ll save that for another post.)  All I know is that I am happy with the stage that I’m at in growing up.  I can look on the past 5 years and realize I’ve made some really dumb decisions, but also some really good ones.

So, to a surprise birthday, good friends, growing up, and a bright future, I raise this one to you…