I fell in love when I was in elementary school. And it is true what they say, you fall in love. It is not something that you can meander in and out of. Love is not some-of-the-time. Love is all-time. When you fall in love, the love that is so true that it lasts a lifetime, you fall head over heels. You sometimes fall too fast and it may take a while to stand. Sometimes you run into barriers during the fall that slow you down or try to detour your path towards true love. Often when you take the plunge, it is not graceful. You plummet towards your future.
Elementary school is the first time where you are tested for grammar and spelling and vocabulary. You learn phonics. You learn how to put words together and take sentences apart. You begin to understand that many words have similar meanings and are seemingly interchangeable. You write and read. But for me, I loved.
I began writing, and despite my shaky grasp of the English language, I have never turned back. I found my cadence, my rhythm. I took the plunge. I fell and fell and am still falling to this day.
Words are so beautiful. They have shape and sound. Each word has a connotation and a denotation. Each word means something literally and much more figuratively. They need to be read and spoken. They demand attention. They are not just black and white figures on a sheet of paper. They are every feeling that I have ever had in my lifetime and infinitely more than I will ever experience. They are full of humor, pity, love, terror, and excitement. They are full of me, and I am full of them.
I realized that words are the most important thing to me. It was a delicious and innocent discovery. I began my unencumbered romance immediately. I would write my thoughts on paper. If I heard something that I liked or that inspired me, I would write that down too. Listening or speaking or writing. It did not and still does not matter to me. It is not the act or the practice that I love; I love the words themselves.
Words are everywhere I am and in everything I do. I feel them even more than I am witness to them. My love for the life of words is real. I must live in them and with them, always.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Georgia On My Mind
This week my new roomie celebrates her birthday. It is such a sweet time. I am sad that I do not get to take part in the festivities, but I know that we will be do it big when we get back to Oxford.
We "met" this year (I put it in quotations because we technically met years ago, but neither of us remembers). We quickly became friends and many of my favorite nights from this past year involve her in some way. I cannot wait to see what this year has to offer us.
Sequestered in our corner room that is ever so tiny, I can see us now: watching Grey's Anatomy on the Tivo, studying for our dreaded classes, having way too much fun, barely climbing into our lofted beds, and loving every minute of it.
We both have summer birthdays, so I feel like we have missed out on some monumental occasions in each others lives.
But I know...
We "met" this year (I put it in quotations because we technically met years ago, but neither of us remembers). We quickly became friends and many of my favorite nights from this past year involve her in some way. I cannot wait to see what this year has to offer us.
Sequestered in our corner room that is ever so tiny, I can see us now: watching Grey's Anatomy on the Tivo, studying for our dreaded classes, having way too much fun, barely climbing into our lofted beds, and loving every minute of it.
Happy Birthday!
We both have summer birthdays, so I feel like we have missed out on some monumental occasions in each others lives.
But I know...
Friday, July 9, 2010
Dreaming In Color
I am in love.
LOVE.
I don't know what I love the most: the colors, patterns, EVERYTHING. Every time I look at this my eyes dance a little dance and I am not sure what to linger on the longest. This room screams fabulous. Michael Jackson is hanging on the wall. The table is neon! The lamps are exactly what I have had in my head for months but never seen anywhere. The rug is fur, but it isn't obnoxious. The hardwood floors and windows are too perfect. The two floral chairs are just enough to make your heart spin. I could lie on that couch forever and never grow tired. The green, teal, orange, pink, ahhh. I'm dying. I have found my dream room.
But for just this moment, I will admit to a favorite. My favorite part of the entire room is the vision board. There is just a peek of it in this picture, but I can imagine what is posted on that board. Friends and fashion. Family and art. Love and dreams and goals and every vision I have ever had.
This is my room.
These are my visions.
LOVE.
I don't know what I love the most: the colors, patterns, EVERYTHING. Every time I look at this my eyes dance a little dance and I am not sure what to linger on the longest. This room screams fabulous. Michael Jackson is hanging on the wall. The table is neon! The lamps are exactly what I have had in my head for months but never seen anywhere. The rug is fur, but it isn't obnoxious. The hardwood floors and windows are too perfect. The two floral chairs are just enough to make your heart spin. I could lie on that couch forever and never grow tired. The green, teal, orange, pink, ahhh. I'm dying. I have found my dream room.
But for just this moment, I will admit to a favorite. My favorite part of the entire room is the vision board. There is just a peek of it in this picture, but I can imagine what is posted on that board. Friends and fashion. Family and art. Love and dreams and goals and every vision I have ever had.
This is my room.
These are my visions.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Crossroads
I woke up to this morning to good news and bad news. The good was funny and exciting, the bad was terrible.
The bad news was the first that I discovered. And it is bad. It is about someone very special to me. Someone who makes my life make sense.
I was so numb about the news that I immediately went out in search of something to distract myself. Which is where I found the good news. I found it in my friends.
I learned something today. When my life might be crumbling down around my feet, my friends are there to hold my head above water.
The bad news was the first that I discovered. And it is bad. It is about someone very special to me. Someone who makes my life make sense.
I was so numb about the news that I immediately went out in search of something to distract myself. Which is where I found the good news. I found it in my friends.
I learned something today. When my life might be crumbling down around my feet, my friends are there to hold my head above water.
So instead of being sad today, which would be really easy, I am going to be a big girl. I am not going to let the burden of this news sink in and ruin me. I am going to turn to people that can take my mind off of it. People who love me and can make me happy despite what is going on.
Today, I will take the road with the sunshine.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Happy Birthday To Me
Today is my nineteenth birthday. It is one of those in-between birthdays. There is nothing that I can do at nineteen that I wasn't able to do at eighteen. But that does not mean that I will take it for granted. This past year was the best year of my life and I can only hope that this next year will be better still.
Nineteen things I have learned from the best year:
1. The best days are ones that are the most ordinary.
2. The best people are the ones who stick around.
3. The best times are the ones where you are fearless.
4. The best choices are the ones from your heart.
5. The best memories are the ones that take you by surprise.
6. The best meals are the ones you eat with your friends.
7. The best nights are the ones you don't remember.
8. The best friends are the ones who understand you.
9. The best pictures are the ones where you are smiling.
10. The best movies are the ones that make you laugh.
11. The best classes are the ones that inspire you.
12. The best shoes are the ones you can wear for miles.
13. The best songs are the ones in which you know all the words.
14. The best drives are the ones with no destinations.
15. The best dreams are the ones that come true.
16. The best stories are the ones you haven't finished yet.
17. The best gifts are the ones you give.
18. The best lessons are the ones you learn yourself.
19. The best years are the ones that are yet to come.
Nineteen things I hope to accomplish this year:
1. I want to watch the sun rise once a season.
2. I want to give more of myself to my friends.
3. I want to try something new once a month.
4. I want to go outside of my comfort zone.
5. I want to have my writing published.
6. I want to go to sleep at a normal time.
7. I want to be more open.
8. I want to have someone change my mind.
9. I want to learn something new.
10. I want to be more dedicated to school.
11. I want to go to more concerts.
12. I want to be more involved with life.
13. I want to teach something.
14. I want to become a better photographer.
15. I want to laugh all day, every day.
16. I want to be more encouraging.
17. I want to make my heart lighter.
18. I want to believe in things a little bit more.
19. I want to light up my life.
A couple of them are about finding love and being so rapt in it. But then the love is lost. They blame it on being nineteen. I wouldn't mind losing if it meant knowing love.
But the one that stands out to me is the one where they long to be nineteen. They are old and looking back on the best year of their lives. That is what I want.
Happy Birthday to me.
Nineteen things I have learned from the best year:
1. The best days are ones that are the most ordinary.
2. The best people are the ones who stick around.
3. The best times are the ones where you are fearless.
4. The best choices are the ones from your heart.
5. The best memories are the ones that take you by surprise.
6. The best meals are the ones you eat with your friends.
7. The best nights are the ones you don't remember.
8. The best friends are the ones who understand you.
9. The best pictures are the ones where you are smiling.
10. The best movies are the ones that make you laugh.
11. The best classes are the ones that inspire you.
12. The best shoes are the ones you can wear for miles.
13. The best songs are the ones in which you know all the words.
14. The best drives are the ones with no destinations.
15. The best dreams are the ones that come true.
16. The best stories are the ones you haven't finished yet.
17. The best gifts are the ones you give.
18. The best lessons are the ones you learn yourself.
19. The best years are the ones that are yet to come.
Nineteen things I hope to accomplish this year:
1. I want to watch the sun rise once a season.
2. I want to give more of myself to my friends.
3. I want to try something new once a month.
4. I want to go outside of my comfort zone.
5. I want to have my writing published.
6. I want to go to sleep at a normal time.
7. I want to be more open.
8. I want to have someone change my mind.
9. I want to learn something new.
10. I want to be more dedicated to school.
11. I want to go to more concerts.
12. I want to be more involved with life.
13. I want to teach something.
14. I want to become a better photographer.
15. I want to laugh all day, every day.
16. I want to be more encouraging.
17. I want to make my heart lighter.
18. I want to believe in things a little bit more.
19. I want to light up my life.
There are a lot of songs about being nineteen.
A couple of them are about being braver than imaginable. When courage is hard to find, they found it at age nineteen. I want to find that.
A couple of them are about finding love and being so rapt in it. But then the love is lost. They blame it on being nineteen. I wouldn't mind losing if it meant knowing love.
But the one that stands out to me is the one where they long to be nineteen. They are old and looking back on the best year of their lives. That is what I want.
Happy Birthday to me.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Walking in Memphis
Today was a good day.
Two of my very special Mississippi friends came to play with me.
Despite the bad weather and being stuck in the restaurant for two hours waiting for the power to come back on, we had a great time. We went shopping in all of my favorite places and spent the day just being together.
I loved getting to explore my city with my friends. Show them where I come from.
Two of my very special Mississippi friends came to play with me.
Despite the bad weather and being stuck in the restaurant for two hours waiting for the power to come back on, we had a great time. We went shopping in all of my favorite places and spent the day just being together.
I loved getting to explore my city with my friends. Show them where I come from.
I love being a tour guide for my city. I get such a tickle out of people getting worked up when we go downtown. It might not be the safest place in the world, but it is one of the best. We were so funny today keeping our guards up. Hoping that the guy that walked in the store wouldn't steal our purses and that the car would still be there when we finished shopping.
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