The Stages of Life

The stages of life are many and vast. We go through an unending amount of stages in our life. I remember as a kid hearing one of my sisters talking about me and saying "He's just going through a stage" And they were right. At the time of any stage we are in we think this is permanent and is just who we are. However, the truth of it is that at any given point in our life we can change to not only what we want to be, but also to what we need to be.

I was talking with a friend just yesterday and she related some struggle she is going through. It was interesting and a little funny, though I dare not laugh, because I remembered going through the exact same thing. Does that make me an expert on the subject? Not at all. In fact, she could have a completely different outcome than me, but this is the very beauty of having others around us.

When we share our experiences with each other we are giving them the option to learn from what we have experienced. We have to understand as we do that that they may not accept what we say or agree, and that is okay. The beauty of chose is the fact that we chose how we learn. Also, as we tell them our stories we must not assume we have all the answers, because my answer may very well be different then yours. So all I can do is give you my experience and you do with is as you wish.

Now, what this also means is that I must be open and willing to accept the advice and council of those that are more experienced than I. Remember that all things are double sided and varied.

Boy Meets Girl #2

Boy meets girl
Girl talks to boy because he is a little afraid.
Boy and girl see each other occasionally, but are merely thoughts to the other.
A defining moment comes when boy realizes his interests are peaked.
Boy wrestles with himself for a time because of past experiences.
Boy asks girl out and before their first real date he knows something is different.
Boy cherishes the time to grow both in his own skin and with another.
Girl becomes attached to boy and questions arise.
Boy is determined to find out for himself what is happening.
Girl is very caring and just what boys needs.
Boy and girl ponder on the possibilities and are frightened.

What is the price for happiness? What is the outcome of an unwilling patient desire? Is this the path to finding the hearts closure it has longed for? Or is it merely postponing the inevitable demise it has come so accustom to? No one can truly know and only time will tell, but time is exactly what is needed. Let time rear its face in time and bring closure to a couple waiting.

You Just Never Know

I remember when I was a kid when life was just so tarable. Maybe their was a problem at school, or one of my sisters made me mad. I remember thinking how bad my life sucked and how I just wanted out.

Today I look back on those times and think "What was I thinking?!" Life was SOOOO easy then! I didn't have anything to worry about except my own happiness and I chose to take that happiness and turn it into depression! Oh how I wish I could go back and shake that little boy around. I do not, however, regret anything in my childhood. the mistakes I have made and the lessons I have learned have come from these experiences. So this does give me hope that the trials I go through on a daily bases will seem small in the future.

Now, I think we all kind of go through the debate in our head weather "it" is worth "it all". There are times in our lives when we just lie in bed and wish beyond anything else we have ever wished for that the next day would come and free us from the ache we feel. This is normal. And we all end up asking ourselves "why". Why do I have to go through this? Why is this so hard? Why here? Why now? And then we end up asking.. What's the point?

What I have discovered (On top of the whole thing helping you grow into a better person) is that the same reason why all this happens is the same reason why you have to keep going. You just never know. It is true. You just NEVER know what is going to happen, and this works for both the bad and the good.

Every time you end up asking yourself 'why?'; you always find it unfair and you NEVER thought it would happen, or at least not now. That is always how I feel. I was once engaged and a few months before the wedding my fiance left me and didn't want to speak again. You can imagine I had a lot of 'Why?' questions to ask. It was devastating and I wanted to be free from it. I never expected that to happen.

Then, after some time had passed I realized that I was over her. I was happy again and it didn't bother me to think of her. Why? I didn't expect that either.

The concept of 'You never know' is equally dispersed to the good and bad of our lives. We just have the natural human tenancy to only focus on the bad, but I challenge you to look back at your life. Go through it step by step and you may see that you have had things fall into your lap as much, if not more, than crap hitting the fan. Try to look at life differently and maybe life will be different for you.

The Whisper of the Heart

What does it mean to dream? When I say "Dream" do you think of the inconsistent and sometimes strange images and thoughts you see when you are asleep in your bed? Or do your thoughts turn to the aspirations and fantasies of your heart and what you wish to accomplish? Today I speak of the latter.

We all have dreams and aspirations; of thoughts and desires for a better future of happiness. This is something we all share, but the true wonder of it all is that each and every individual has a completely separate dream than you. Every person you share a passing glance at is on there way to fulfilling their dream. And yes, I mean fulfilling.

There are those of us who have sought out and tried their hardest to obtain their dream only to be met with disaster and heartache. I dare say that every one of us have experienced this to some degree, and we must understand that that is part of the journey. But I do not write this to focus on the bad times.

I wish to reference a film that I find uplifting, passionate, and beautiful. It is an anime called Whisper of the Heart by Hayao Miyazaki. This is an absolutely beautiful story of a child's realization of life and searching out her dreams. there are several amazing lessons to be learned in this film including the message in the Quote "When the afternoon currents mix we can even touch the stars without fear." What a beautiful sentiment. We must remember that our dreams are what fuel us. It is our wishing for a better future that prepares us for the rough patches that are destined to come. We all have a purpose and we must realize that this purpose may not be to be something rich and powerful. It may just be to live a full life with the one you love.

In Whisper of the Heart the young girl Shizuku finds herself slacking off in her studies and always wants to read her stories of fantasy and write her own. She is constantly being ridiculed by her sister and feels the pressure for her to do as she is suppose to. Upon meeting with Seiji, a boy she starts to fall in love with, she realizes that he is already on his way to achieving his dreams and she feels very inadequate; using the phrase "I am just not good enough" often. (which I have caught myself saying as well.) It is obvious that he loves her back, but she is not convinced and is determined to follow her dream and write a story while he is away.

She ends up finishing her story and even shrugs off her schooling even more because she realizes that not everyone has to follow the same guidelines. Unfortunately for her she finds out that her story is no master piece and still needs a lot of work. It isn't until her 'Fall' that she realizes she needs more schooling in order for her to be better at what she wants to do.

Upon Seiji's return she finds out that he is completely ready and willing to help her or even carry her through her struggles if he has to. In one scene Seiji is riding up a steep hill on a bike with Shizuku on the back. When she asks him if she should get off he says "No, I decided I was going to ride up this steep hill carrying you with me."

At which point she reply's "Who said you could decide that? I don't want to be a burden for you. If I'm going with you, I'm going to help you." Then she jumps off the bike and helps push him up.

What a delightful analogy! This is exactly how we should view our relationship with those around us, and especially our spouses! It doesn't matter if it is the man or the woman riding the bike or pushing it up the hill, all that matters is that you are pushing and trying together!

Let us all remember that we are not meant or should face our trials alone. And in the process of achieving our dreams we will face many hard and powerful trials. So with the help of the one you love you can literally achieve anything.