"Each day is a gift and you never know how you can make a difference."
Well would you look at me. Blogging...again. This has to be a record. :)
This is going to be long-winded. You've been warned.
In the last few weeks I've had to really swallow some harsh reality. I have always been a little...okay maybe A LOT fickle where choosing a career/major has been concerned. I guess there are just so many things I would like to do or could see myself doing with my life. Obviously, more than anything, I want to find someone to marry and raise a family with and that's the real job I want to have in life...but reality is that currently I'm not dating anyone and have no one pursuing me, so right now -
1. I have to be content and happy with my life being single - because if I can't be happy alone and with myself then I can't be happy with someone else. (for the record it has taken some time but, I am happy with who I am because I am a child of God and I'm thankful that God has given me the time and opportunity to truly love the person he's allowed me to become - although I still have A LOT of work to do.)
2. I work on my relationship with God and continue to grow in faith and knowledge. Be a light and work on spread the Gospel and teaching people the truth.
3. I finish school and work on my career - become successful and save the world. I joke about this, but I truly to want to save the world! :)
The reality is that #3 has been a long, hard battle for me. When I first started school at Florida College (coughcough:: in 2003 ::coughcough) I wasn't truly in a good place. Honestly, I had no business being in school. I wasn't focused and I didn't care enough. I did terrible. I had fun, but I did terrible. So, I moved back home and worked for a couple of years (my life still wasn't what it needed to be). Flash forward to 2006 - I happily and finally moved to Auburn (my dream!) to go to school at Southern Union. I started back to school in Fall 06 and still clearly wasn't prepared or ready to focus on school. Despite the fact that I had been "responsible" for myself and "independent" since Spring of 2004, it took me a couple of years living in Auburn to truly grow up and get my mind around doing what I had to do. I went to school off and on for a few years - spent more time working and being focused on that than school. So in 2009 I believe it was, I finally buckled down and made better grades....MUCH better grades. For the first time EVER, I made the Dean's List. That was a proud moment let me tell you. I don't think I have ever been that "proud of myself", which might sound a little arrogant, but I literally just couldn't believe I had done it. Since then I have done better in school - not perfect by any stretch but much better. I got my GPA up and got into Auburn University... funny thing about Southern Union is they don't tell you a lot of stuff. Part of me working hard to get my GPA up was re-taking classes and making better grades to get the bad grades taken off my transcript. Well, in case you were wondering, Auburn doesn't accept "gaps" so all those classes I got taken off my transcript were put right back on when I transferred to Auburn, so my GPA went back down - and I literally have never been so frustrated in my life. So this, reality that I had to swallow recently was that the plan I've had for about the last year of getting my Bachelor's in Psychology and going to Graduate school to get my Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy isn't likely. You need to have a GPA of at least a 3.0 or higher - I'll spare you what mine is currently, but there isn't a chance I'll get it up high enough to get into Grad school.
SO - I was feeling like I'm back at square one. I'm frustrated and have no idea what I'm doing with my life - am threatening to quit school - yes, I only have 3 semesters left and I was threatening to quit school. BUT, a Bachelor's in Psychology is seemingly pointless. You can't do much with it. So I've been searching to figure out life. I've been seriously considering Cosmetology school, which if my current plan doesn't work out is still an option.
Well, me being who I am, I don't want to disappoint anyone, and I also don't want to regret being 3 semesters away from graduating and not finishing, so I chose to stay in school and finish. I registered Tuesday for Spring Semester and I'm pretty pumped about it currently.
So, I suppose at this point you're wondering what all this rambling about my school battles are about - I promise, there's a point.
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." -Ephesians 4:32
--Webster dictionary defines bullying: a blustering browbeating person; especially : one habitually cruel to others who are weaker.
Did you know that bullying is becoming a literal epidemic in this world, especially in the US!?! I'm adding some links that you can check out if you want to on the statistics of bullying.
Personally I find it sick, and it breaks my heart to think that kids literally fear leaving their house and for what?! Because someone else finds themselves "superior" or "better" and gets pleasure out of making people feel small and like they don't mean anything. Well I have news for those people - you're not. I was raised to treat others the way I want to be treated. No, I'm not perfect and I have said and done things that I wish I could take back, but I have NEVER said something and not instantly felt bad and regretted it.
"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." -Matthew 7:12
"Treat others the same way you want them to treat you." -Luke 6:31
Obviously, this starts at home - but it's also a choice. I'm pretty sure these "bullies" that are so awful and mean to the other kids, the "victims", wouldn't want to trade shoes with them. And maybe these "bullies" do feel bad and have regret, but with how big the idea of bullying has gotten and how quickly teen suicide is increasing - it seems as though it's not something they currently feel bad about. Last night a friend showed me this video:
and before you watch this, be warned that it is really sad
Amanda Todd - she was 15 years old...and honestly just from everything that was said, just needed ONE friend to stand by her side and show her love. She was a beautiful little girl, and it breaks my heart to think that just 8 days ago she took her own life because she couldn't handle it anymore. Did she makes mistakes? Yes. Did she deserve to be treated and made to feel the way she did? No. She was a child - and even as adults make mistakes. In her video at the end she says, "I have no one. I need someone." She is just one of MANY kids who have taken their own lives because of bullying. Bullying often leads to depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses/disorders.
All this to first of all spread awareness, but also to say - I have decided that I am going to save the world. Literally. I'm going to use my Bachelor's degree in Psychology and POSSIBLY add a minor in Social Work to it, to work at Crisis Centers and Teen Suicide Prevention. I would love to be involved with speaking at middle schools and high schools speaking out against bullying...and no, I can't save the world, but I can sure try. Someone has got to do something to help these kids. I could have a wonderful opportunity to not only reach out to kids and help them to realize that they do have SOMEONE - they have God. This could be an incredible way to spread the gospel. :) Obviously, I'm sure there is a line there, but it could happen. So I suppose the long-winded post was to spread awareness and also to tell you guys that I think I know what I'm going to do with my life!!!! I hope. :)
Today I'm asking for you all to spread awareness against bullying. Teach the children in your lives that how they treat people matters, it REALLY matters.
**To the world you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world.**
You never know how a smile or kind word can change someone's life. Below is a story about how ONE person truly did change someone's life:
"One day, when I was a freshman in
high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.
His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?
He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties
and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged
my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw
a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books
out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses
went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.
He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart
went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around
looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his
glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives."
He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"
There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed
real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where
he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why
I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school
before now.
I would have never hung out with
a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried
his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him
if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends.
He said yes.
We hung all weekend and the more
I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same
of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack
of books again. I stopped him and said, "you are gonna really build
some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!"
He just laughed and handed me half
the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and
I became best friends. When we were seniors, began to think about
college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and was going to Duke.
I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a
problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business
on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I
teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech
for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there
and speak.
Graduation day, I saw Kyle.
He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself
during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.
He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him! Boy, sometimes
I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that
he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and
said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"
He looked at me with one of those
looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared
his throat, and began "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped
you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your
siblings, maybe a coach... but mostly your friends. I am here to
tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can
give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with
disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned
to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned
out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying
his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
I heard the gasp go through the
crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.
Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of
your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life.
For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to
impact one another in some way. Look for good in others.
Each day is a gift from God!
Don't forget to say, "Thank you!""
The first time I heard this story it brought tears to my eyes. I challenge each of you in the next week to say hi to someone you don't know, or don't normally speak to. Smile at a stranger - that smile could literally change someone's outlook on the day.
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."
Until next time....
(sorry (not sorry) about the seriously LONG post.)
BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS! :)
In Him from whom all blessings flow,
Erica
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