Saying yes.

toLiving through a pandemic is surreal. It almost feels like meeting a celebrity because this will be talked about for years and years. Its something that we planned on telling future generations about right from the get go. It has taken everything we have known and tossed it upside down, out the window, and down a cliff. And thats really how this year has gone. However sometimes you need to rebreak a bone to heal it. you need these harsh reminders on how precious life is to get out there and really live your life. (with a mask on of course)

      There is so much pain in the country right now, so much division, and hatred, and divisiveness. However  through a lot of this pain, and hurt people have come together in the strongest and most beautiful ways. And despite it all, its all about the adventure. Its about not being scared and not being held back. I learned this summer how precious life is, and how integral it is for us to cherish what we have because tomorrow isn't promised. Its important to push ourselves to grow and be better and do better.
      Learning to say yes has been my favorite blessing. I have been so good at saying no for my entire life, always too scared to see what could happen and thinking about the fallout before I even began, and for the first time I said yes. And I kept saying yes. I didn't things I never would have imagined, I was braver than I have ever been. I asked questions and asked for things I never knew how to ask. I was always filled with so much fear that it kept me on the sidelines.
      It helps to surround yourself with people who help you be brave. People who encourage your wild ideas and help set you off on these crazy plans. (Within reason). And these crazy things could be as simple as piercing your nose, dying your hair purple, road trip 5 hours to hang out with someone for the day, or something like finally starting that book you have been to scared to write, or signing up for a sport you've never played. Or going for a long walk at a park. Whatever it is for yu.
      Learning to say yes, and make yourself put the doubts away really leads to such a happier life, with so many more lessons to be learned. Along with the fun things I did this summer, I also ran into things I wasn't happy with. I made a decision that I thought was a good idea at the time, but came to regret it later. However rather than before when I would have over analyzed it and hated myself over a mistake, I learned to ask for forgiveness, and move on. knowing to not do that again.
       Of course this isn't an overnight thing, And honestly I wasn't even sure how I learned to become this way, all I can think is that watching people die in such unexpected ways and at unexpected times, at literally any age, humbled me to see how precious our time here is and there is no point not living it. Life is to short to not ask that person out, or to ask how they feel. Life is too short to not take the long scenic route on a road trip.
      Life is too short to be sitting around arguing on Facebook about every little thing that doesn't go your way, when we can be out in the community ourselves making an actual difference and living your life like its about to end, because you never really know.