FL_2

A bit more funny & hope you enjoy.

FL_1

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I Hope That It Will Treat You Well

     It's moments like these... The times we play volleyball for fun and you tell me I suck at it, although I only played my freshman year. The times when you tell me I look really tired even when I got enough sleep. The times you acted like I wasn't very helpful, even though I sacrificed my peaceful shower time to do you a favor. The times when you ask for something that's 10 feet away, and go back to talking with your friends like you expect me to get it. The times I'm talking about my favorite candies, yet you start a new conversation regarding yourself. Trust me, buttered popcorn jellybeans shouldn't be disregarded, and neither should I. The times you act completely different when around your bad influence of friends, but expect me to be there for you every time you make a mistake. The times you ask me to get info about how girl/ boy feels about you, but never talk to me otherwise or ever think I'm useful for anything else. The times I remember what your middle name, birthday, favorite candy and animal is, yet you can't even remember my favorite color. The times I stay up late or answer in the middle of the day to talk to you, even though you take my advice like a joke. The times you use me at your own disposal and indirectly demand things, even when it's the most inconvenient time for me and you know it. I'm with my family... but I'm at your service anyways. The times you promise me things to the date, but later try to renew those promises or never come through at all. I'm used to it. The times I go above and beyond to make sure you're doing okay, yet you show more concern and thanks to those who barely know you.

     I'd call it an emotionally enraged state, but I've got to say the most satisfying moment that night was when I drove off playing "Gives You Hell" in my car.

Movie Stubs

     I used to think that all of us fit into a small pool regarding who we are and that we simply like different things, but I've realized that I'm wrong. There's actually people who are able to think in such intricate ways that can only be understood by those other people who see the world in the same eyes. I'm glad to say that I've had the pleasure of meeting people like this. Those who don't view situations or surroundings in the typical, structed perspective that most of the world does, but a "different" manner.

     These few people who I've come to known are by far the most interesting people I've ever met. They appreciate the little things in life which seem to be very insignificant to the majority of people, and find beauty in mundane things. They can also sense those who are following the popular beliefs of the world and see that they have a limited capacity to understand those who are unlike them. They not only challenge the way that others think, but the way that I think and I love it. Because not everything is black and white. There are things going on that can be interpreted in a million different ways, and life isn't meant to be lived the same way as everyone else; except a lot of the times people don't get that. For example, they don't understand why I like to watch people, or why my collection of tickets/movie stubs is a meaningful accomplishment. They see things for what they are and that's it. And a movie ticket to them is a piece of trash, when it's actually a memory. 

     You know, some just have that sixth sense and are more in tune with their surroundings. They can see through the plastic masks we all put on, and have that ability to deeply take in a person instead of knowing the shallow facts that anyone can get from social media. To them a person isn't just the way they look or talk, because anyone can look or act the same. It really comes down to what you appreciate or is passionate about, because that's unique to you. That's what makes your entire being. Not the hipster flower crowns or Nike free runs that everyone has. Yeah you can attribute those things to yourself because that's what you like, but that doesn't set you apart from the entire teenage population. And that's my entire point of this post: that so many of us are the same. We dress the same, talk the same, and now think the same... but not everyone. Some can actually view the world for what it could be, not what it actually is. 

For Phoenix Link/ Connecting Current

     So there's this loud kid that I met my junior year of high school. At times he made many people in my class laugh, including me, but I never thought we'd be more than classmates. Today this day, the same loud kid is one of my best friends.

     You know sometimes we feel like we're not that very special or have a real purpose in life, especially as teenagers, but this one person made me realize that's not true... That junior year was about the same time I was figuring myself out spiritually. I was confused and slightly uninterested in Christianity for a long time, although I went to church every Sunday. It's ironic how you can appear as a Christian but not think or speak like one. Anyways, that year I really got close to God with the help of a friend who invited me to church. What she did for my future relationship with God was act as a middle man. She spoke and reflected him in ways that I was able to comprehend and accept as a person lacking in faith. And the really amazing thing was that I was able to be that middle man for my friend too. 

     After inviting him to church and Phoenix a few times he changed a lot... and in the best way he could. I could tell that a relationship with Jesus was something he desperately needed, despite the fact he probably didn't know he was lacking anything in his life. It was an amazing thing watching someone you just got to know for a few months, change so quickly and beautifully. Although I'm not talking about physical beauty, spiritual beauty and salvation is something to awe at. Watching anything that God does is something to awe at. It just makes it that much more special when you realize you're a part of the big picture he's painting.

     To this day, I'm incredibly proud of my friend and all that he's overcome and achieved thanks to God's grace. Within the short beginning months since he started going to Phoenix, he's gotten saved, baptized, served, and invited other friends to church in order to show them how amazing God is to those who are even broken or messed up. Because all of us who's come to know Jesus used to be dirty and imperfect in the eyes of the world, but Jesus totally changes that and us. 

     Now, my friend is middle man for his friends and those who he feels compelled to share the good news with. I'm incredibly happy for him and hopeful for his journey of building his faith. Although he's thanked me numerous times for introducing him to our church family and being that person who helped him grow in his relationship with God; I think the real person to thank is God himself. I'm thankful that he used me in his plan to bring another person to Christ, and that he deemed me worthy of it. It was honestly just of an amazing experience for me as it was for my friend. And although sometimes we don't get along, I'm happy to have the loud kid around till this day. 

Piano

     There's this piano that my parents bought especially for me when I was about in 5th grade. It was so long ago that I can't even remember when it exactly happened, but I remember being so excited when I got it. I still have it today. It's a light brown, wooden piano. Very simple, but very beautiful. It was used, but that made it a lot more comfortable because someone else had already broken it in for me... Today my mom told me she's selling that piano. I know that I quit piano years ago since I've moved, and haven't played that old thing in a long time, but I couldn't stand the thought of giving it away. I tried to convince, well more so argue with, my mom to keep it but she insisted it was her decision and that I have no say. The farewell of my piano apparently has nothing to do with me.

     It's hard to explain why I got so emotional when I learned that my wooden box of black and white keys is going away. Frankly I hated learning to play the piano. I dreaded my lessons with my teacher every week, that I even cried to get out of them sometimes. But this piano represents memories and it's always been there with me. Although it sits in the corner collecting dust, it's still there. The piano is the one thing that I called mine, and had some sentimental meaning to it. To me, it doesn't matter that I don't play it anymore. My parent's bought it for me and I loved the thought of having something so beautiful in my possession. It was something that I didn't have to share because I was the only one who knew how to play it. Even though I wasn't very good, I found it special being able to even play one song. If I knew that it came with conditions to keep it, I would have easily followed them. 

     There was a very happy time in my life that I vividly remember, and it was around the time I had gotten the piano. I was living in the warm weather of Louisiana, had a nice house with the most friendly neighbors, a great relationship with my parents, and amazing friends. I didn't necessarily have Jesus prominent in my life, but life was still good as far as I was able to comprehend. This time period is something I often look back on, because I had so many things going right in the short span of a couple years. Something that I really remember are my parents. During that time was when I had the best relationship with them. We'd often go out to spend time together, they came to my award ceremonies, and knew all of my friends. Let's just say they were a lot more invested in me then. Now things are slightly different and my parents aren't that involved in my life as they used to. It's not that I want them to know everything about anything, but as time has gone by they seem to know less and less about me. Normally my parent's aren't really the type who are extremely interested in everything about their kids anyways; they just aren't those type of people. Except it just saddens me because as I'm being stripped of my piano, I've realized that they probably don't even know my favorite flavor of ice cream or how I like making dumb YouTube videos for fun. They don't know these things because their desire to learn has passed. It's not like I want them to be involved in every little aspect of my life; except it's offensive how they're taking away my piano and acting like they know what it means to me. They think it's nothing.

     It sounds like I'm blaming my parents but I'm not. It just frustrates me when they say I have nothing to do with the decision with my piano. It reminds me of how they've progressively taken the time to know less about me and disregard my opinions and thoughts. They cared enough to buy me it for me when I was a kid, but now as a teenager it's stripped without hesitation. Maybe I don't play the piano anymore, but I thought the least I deserved was a heads up that a piece of my happy memory is being exchanged for meaningless money. It all comes down to the fact that the worth of my piano to me personally, doesn't matter as much to my parents compared to the money they'll get from it. They're literally making money from my memories. Maybe it's slightly over dramatic and symbolic of me, but this insignificant musical instrument is so much more than something that makes sound. But I guess a piano to you is not a piano to me. 

Global Citizens Earth Day Concert 2015 Video

During concert:

After concert:

Enjoy,