Before the dawn

“Night is always darker before the dawn

and life is the same, the hard times will

pass, every thing will get better and

sun will shine brighter than ever.”

~Ernest Hemingway

During a time like this, it can be difficult to see the light in the struggle, and negativity seems to surround us in the aftermath of COVID-19… Fear continues to grow, and so many people are left desperate for relief as the impact becomes more widespread.

It is easy to feel consumed in this darkness, but it is our own decision how we are going to react to it. There is still so much to be thankful for, and we must keep these things close to heart despite the hardships. Things will not stay this way forever, and there is always sunshine behind the storm. Remember Ernest Hemingway’s words and know that hope is never lost. It may take some time to get back up, but when we do, we will be stronger than we ever were before!

---

I just wanted to share this inspiring poem because it is so relevant to what we are all going through right now. I hope that this reflection was moving or gave you a new perspective as it did for me… Feel free to share your own poems or quotes in the comments section, and I hope that you have  a great rest of the week!

Advertisement

power

“No one is you and

that is your power”

—Dave Grohl—

---

Photo: Richard Jean-Louis

January Playlist 2020

It is January, and I am very excited to share my first playlist of 2020! For those of you who are new to the blog, I post a collection of songs every month featuring a wide variety of genres, so I hope you find something that you like. Thanks for listening, and please don’t hesitate to drop your own favorite songs in the comments section. Your thoughts are always welcome, and I would love to hear from you. Enjoy!

• Scales by Owel
• 1000 Nights by Frenship
• It’s Not My Time by 3 Doors Down
• No Vacancy by Rainbow Kitten Surprise
• Army of One by Coldplay
• Woman by Mumford & Sons
• Birds by Imagine Dragons
• Argue by Matchbox Twenty

A New Decade

A new decade has begun, and a new journey awaits… No matter how 2019 went for you, do not forget the lessons and experiences that helped you become the person that you are today. I hope 2020 is a great year, and I am excited to see what it has in store for all of us.

---

I am astounded at the growth of this blog within the past twelve months, and I could not be more thankful for the tremendous amount of support. This site topped 8,000 views this year, and I received visitors from all over the world! I am so glad to be part of this community of writers because you are all so talented and inspiring. My most popular post in 2019 was ‘Don’t Be Beautiful’ so be sure to go check that out if you haven’t already!

Beyond the blog, I also want to give a shout-out to all of the people in my personal life who were always there for me and made the year so memorable especially my mom. I don’t know what I would have done without you guys, and it means the world (you know who you are.) 2019 definitely wasn’t an easy year, but it was one that I wont forget because it truly changed my life.

Here’s to a new year and a fresh start. Happy 2020!

Christmas Adventure

Hello again. I know it is a little late, but I hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas! I spent my week visiting with family almost twelve hours from home, so it was really special because we don’t get to see them very often. I am also thankful that I was able to be there to celebrate three big birthdays this year! This was actually the first winter that we have ever traveled to that part of the country, and the weather couldn’t have been any better. Though it was much colder than it was back home, it didn’t approach the sub-zero temperatures that we were expecting. Everyone kept telling us that it was unseasonably mild, so we were lucky that we could actually enjoy ourselves at this time of the year.

I also ate one of the biggest sandwiches that I have ever had at Primanti Bros. It was delicious, but it was ginormous; I have no idea how I was able to fit it into my mouth. I think my favorite part of the trip has to be snow-tubing with my cousins because I loved the adrenaline rush of racing down those tall, icy slopes. From snowman building to ordering a table-for-twenty dinner, we all had a really great time, and we certainly filled this Christmas with many memories.

Have you traveled anywhere recently? How was your holiday? I am super behind on the Reader, but I will try to catch up to some of your posts within the next few days. Thanks for reading!

musings and music// 12-17-19

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.

Fall Semester 2019

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.

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!

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!!

in the end…

“in the end, she became

more than what she expected.

she became the journey,

and like all journeys,

she did not end, she just

simply changed directions

and kept going.”

---

*quote: r.m. drake

*photo: richard jean-louis

Golden leaves

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? 

Decisions

“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.