Poetic Thoughts

secret messages

sky

unspoken thoughts

float on paper wings

carried by the wind

softly glowing

secret messages

paint the sky

embers burn

as the heart flies

what could be

what should be

what would be

what is

you will never know

writing secret messages


Did you enjoy this? What are your thoughts? Would you like to see more poetry? Thanks for reading!

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musings and music// 12-17-19

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Lights decorate rooftops and illuminate the streets to transform an ordinary town into a magical wonderland. Children add the finishing touches to their snowmen, and roads become busy with travelers who eagerly head home for the holidays. Loved ones gather around the fireplace as warm cookies are munched, and special memories are made in the heart of December.


I cannot believe that Christmas is only eight days away, and 2020 is right around the corner. This year really flew by, and I am shocked that this month is already halfway over. That being said, I hope you enjoy this month’s playlist, and happy holidays from my family to yours!

  • A New York Christmas by Rob Thomas
  • Carol of the Bells by John Williams
  • This Christmas by Donny Hathaway
  • It Must Be Christmas by Chris Young
  • White Christmas by The Drifters
  • Linus And Lucy by Vince Guaraldi Trio
  • Candy Cane Lane by Sia
  • Let It Be Christmas by Alan Jackson

What is your favorite Christmas song? Do you have any exciting plans coming up? What do you love about this time of year? Thanks for reading, and be sure to not miss my next post for a special treat.

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Fall Semester 2019

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This semester was harder than I ever expected, but I learned more life-lessons within the past sixteen weeks than any of the other semesters combined. Looking back, I am not really sure how I made it through everything, but I couldn’t be more thankful for the experiences that helped me become who I am today despite the challenges.

I always use to tell myself that nothing is impossible and that I could do anything I set my mind to if I was determined enough. This helped me achieve great things in the past, but this semester humbled me to realize that some things truly aren’t possible. I was pushing myself harder than I ever had before, and I was setting unrealistic expectations for myself. This year, I took a full semester at the college through dual-enrollment while dancing full time as a professional trainee ballet dancer. Though I had done this before, my academic courses were more difficult this time, and the demands were a lot higher. I was only getting about five hours of sleep every single night just to keep my feet on the ground, and the exhaustion/stress really started to take a toll on my health.

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I learned that “you can do anything, but you can’t do everything.”

The problem was, I was trying to give 100% effort at both school and dance because I didn’t know where I would end up or what I even wanted anymore. A professional career in ballet is extremely competitive, and universities are also highly selective; I needed to be perfect at both. It was about mid-October when I realized that something had to change because I physically couldn’t do everything anymore, and I was wearing myself out… I had some big decisions to make. After thinking everything through, I decided to no longer pursue a professional career in ballet after Nutcracker which was one of the hardest decisions that I have ever had to make. Even though it is a huge change in my life, I know that I made the right decision, and I did what it best for me. Since then, I am so much happier, and I passed all of my classes!

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Through it all, it truly was bittersweet to walk off campus for the last time knowing that some of my friends wont return in January… From the coffee shop shows, Friday morning laughs, “flying squirrel” (inside joke), study groups, and hot chocolate chats, I couldn’t have hoped for a better group of people to hang with. I made some great friendships, and I am so thankful for all of the wonderful memories! It certainly wasn’t an easy semester, but we got through it together. The Fall semester is officially complete. I can’t believe it, but we did it!!

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November Playlist 2019

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Okay, I think I have finally finished this month’s playlist… This is the last one of the year before December’s holiday mix, so I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I do! As always, feel free to share any song suggestions that you have for me in the comments section, and thanks for reading.

  • Remind You by Frenship
  • Life After You by Daughtry
  • Looking for Some Light by Colony House
  • Horses by Keith Urban
  • The Road I’m On by 3 Doors Down
  • Rose Of Sharon by Mumford & Sons
  • Not There for You by Zac Crook

Which one was your favorite? Have you heard any of these before? What have you been listening to lately? Have you already started listening to Christmas music? 

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Golden leaves

autumncampus

do you hear that?

the echo of the trees

conversing among each other

dispersing messages in the breeze…

 

do you see that?

the array of golden leaves

painting the earth’s canvas

 letting beauty run free…


I was walking to class the other day, but I had to stop to take a picture of this beautiful moment. It also inspired me to write a poem, so I thought I would share it with all of you.

Also, I am loving this song.

I am in the process of putting together this month’s playlist, so be on the lookout for that as well. I hope you all have a great rest of the week, and thanks for reading!

Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving? What are your thoughts on this post? Did you like the song? Has anything inspired you recently? 

Quote Corner

Decisions

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“Decisions. We can think about things, turn them over in our minds a million times, play out possible scenarios, but really when it comes down to it, you have to go with your heart and move forward. Maybe things will go well. Maybe they’ll turn out poorly. Every decision brings with it some good, some bad, some lessons, and some luck. The only thing that’s for sure is that indecision steals many years from many people who wind up wishing they’d just had the courage to leap.”

~Doe Zantamata


It can be scary to make a decision especially if it entails major changes in your life. Sometimes, you are put in a situation where you are given two very different options, and you are forced to choose which path to take. You are not sure which one is “right” and you don’t really know where you are meant to go, so you spend time contemplating the alternatives. Days go by, followed by weeks, and even months. Your gut feeling tells you which path to take, but you are too paralyzed to actually make things happen because you worry that you are wrong and fear the pit of regret. However, you cannot spend your entire life dwelling on the unknown because the truth is that you are never going to be 100% sure of every outcome. It is not possible. You are wasting so many opportunities if you let fear take complete control and if you allow other people to sway your direction in life. Do what you want to do, and go where you feel like you should be. Definitely consider the outcomes, but don’t spend your entire life sitting around waiting because you are afraid.

Make a decision. Make it happen.

Reflection from the week…

*Photo Credits: Claire H.

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August Playlist 2019

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For those of you who missed it, I am going to start releasing an updated playlist every month, so be sure to check back frequently to hear some new music! These posts will highlight my top favorite songs in wide range of genres, so I really hope that you find something that you like. Please don’t hesitate to share your own suggestions in the comments section because I love discovering music as well. I hope that you enjoy this month’s mix!

  • Be Like That by 3 Doors Down
  • Poplar by Michigander
  • One Man Band by Old Dominion
  • Will You Think of Me Later? by Edwin Raphael
  • Alligator by Of Monsters and Men
  • Flares by The Script
  • White Flag by Daughtry
  • Say We’ll Make It by Vacation Manor
  • Fools by ufo ufo

What do you think about this playlist? Did you discover any new songs? Were any of these familiar to you? Do you have any good ones for me? 

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Summer Playlist: July 2019

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Hey, guys! Today, I thought it would be fun to share a few songs that I have been loving so far this month. I know that I posted a 4th of July playlist pretty recently, but I wanted to share some day-to-day tunes as well. Several of you have told me that you really enjoy these types of posts, so I am going to try to release a new playlist every month. Let’s see how long I can keep up with that commitment… I will definitely try my best, but I am making no promises because my life can get pretty chaotic during the year (as many of you already know.) Anyways, I hope that you enjoy listening and discover something new!

  • I Would by Coin
  • Keep You Close by Frenship
  • January by Verzache
  • Free & Lonely by X Ambassadors
  • Beautiful People by Ed Sheeran (feat. Khalid)
  • Careless by Vacation Manor
  • Fallin Down by Goo Goo Dolls
  • What Is Love by Chase Goehring

Which song is your favorite? What have you been listening to this month? Feel free to drop your own playlist in the comments section. 

Faith First

A Humbling Experience

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With each breath, I remember how lucky I am to be alive, and I thank God for the health of myself, friends, and family. It is so easy to take “the little things” in life for granted, but it is important to remember that everything can change in an instant. Nothing is ever guaranteed. As I let my feet sink into the earth, I embrace the sounds of nature and consider how fortunate I am to hear the birds sing. I think about how blessed I am to have vision that allows me to see the amazing world that surrounds me, and a voice to speak what is on my mind… I thank God for waking me up because today truly is a gift.


I danced for the patients at the hospital yesterday, and it was a very humbling experience. Emotions stirred within me as little kids reached for the tutus, stretched their arms up, and moved their feet… I am so grateful that I could share my gift of dance with such an inspiring crowd, and it is something that I will never forget. It felt so rewarding to see the joy on their faces, and I hope that I can do this again in the future. Props to my friend, Claire, who organized the event because it would not have happened if it wasn’t for her… Thank you for everything!

Have you had an eye-opening experience recently? What have you been up to this weekend? I hope that you have a fantastic week.

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Playlist & Talk To Me

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Hello Sunshine!

It has been two full months since I released a playlist, so I thought it was time to share again. Actually, several of you have told me that you really enjoy these types of posts, so I am wondering if I should do this more often… Talk to me, and tell me your thoughts!

  • What I Want by The Band CAMINO
  • Bad by Lennon Stella
  • Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon
  • Over My Head by Judah & the Lion
  • Bottle by JT Roach
  • I Don’t Care by Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber
  • If So by Atlas Genius
  • Older by Sasha Sloan

Do you want to see more playlists? Were any of these songs familiar to you? What have you been listening to?

***Side note: Get ready for some super exciting posts as I share a video of myself dancing (yes, you read that correctly), a favorite summer recipe, recent happenings, a summer shopping haul, and two awards! These will be up very shortly, so don’t go anywhere. 🙂 Thanks for reading, and I hope that you are having an awesome summer!