The Optimist: January 2012

"Being passionate about something makes people nervous. It means you have something to die for while they are still searching for something to live for." - Unknown

Let's start from the beginning. I was born in Waco, went to college in Waco and am now working in Waco. If you were to have asked me a year ago, I would have told you that I would be moving to Dallas, living with my best friend Emily and working an entry-level PR job that probably wouldn't pay enough for me to afford living in the big city. Once again, the Lord hit me with the reality that the plan I have for myself will never prevail. Instead, I find myself sitting behind my desk in Waco completely humbled and thankful for the opportunity I have been given. And while I am confident that the Lord has greater plans for me outside of Waco, I know that it is vital for me to delve into this new chapter of my life (even if it does begin in good 'ole Waco) with everything that I have.

I will be the first to admit that I spent the first 5-6 months of my post graduate career sulking about being in Waco and not being where it seemed like ALL of my friends were. This attitude that I was portraying negatively impacted everything from my job to my relationships to my health. I vividly remember the morning that I woke up and came to the realization that I had lost the passion that I had once had for life. I was strictly going through the motions. For those of you who know me, you know that I don't just "go through the motions." I spent my college life being involved in anything and everything. I would leave for class at 8 or 9 in the morning and would not get home from meetings until 11 or 12. So it was a reality shock, to say the least, when I would get off work at 5 and have NOTHING to do.

Recently, I have made the commitment to regain the passion I once had. Volunteering has always been a big part of my life. Specifically, inner city organizations really tug at my heart. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is something about seeing the faces of those children light up that brightens my day.

"Portraits" is an organization I have volunteered with since I was a sophomore in high school. It is a performing arts organization for African American youth. I was in charge of the 3-5 year old's and as you can see from the pictures below, they are PRECIOUS!

I also spent a summer working at a Kids Across America (KAA) as a counselor/swim instructor/lifeguard. What a humbling experience that was! I had a couple of campers who had never even seen a pool before.

The following pictures are from a project I did for my Advanced Photography class in college. They were just too cute not to share!

So, now that I have shared all of these pictures and background information, I guess it is time to get to the point of this post. I am in the beginning stages of becoming a mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. I am extremely excited about being able to directly impact the life of a child in the Waco Community. And I also firmly believe that my "little sis" will be able to impact my life as well. Be looking for many many more blog posts about this process :)

Check out this video to see how Big Brothers Big Sisters is impacting families in the community!

Thanks for reading.

xoxo,

AND

I cannot believe it has already been eight months since I walked across the stage at my graduation from Baylor University. And what a crazy eight months it has been! Come to think of it, crazy might be an understatement. I have learned more about myself since graduating than in all four of my undergraduate years combined. I have faced fears, formed friendships with unexpected people and realized that life is not going to be perfect.

So why start a blog now? And what direction am I planning on steering this blog? Those are two very interesting questions. I have been telling myself since the summer before my senior year that I wanted to start blogging. I majored in journalism during undergrad and LOVE writing. Blogging will serve as a way for me to write down my thoughts on a number of different topics. Therefore, I do not plan on having a "specific direction." I want to be able to share my thoughts with you and I am excited about being able to look back on past entries and see how I grow as a person!

"The Optimist" seemed like the only way to describe my outlook on life at the moment. I spent a lot of time looking at what was not going right in my life; rather, what was not going MY way. One day it hit me: I will never accomplish the plan the Lord has for me if I keep focusing on the plan I have for myself. I know you have heard this a million times, but it is 100% true. I am blessed, period.

Let's catch up on the last few months.. through pictures!

I'm a Graduate... WHAT!