A Rambling

Sitting here, I'm trying to enjoy these last moments of summer.

Trying not to feel overwhelmed or over-excited or over-nostalgic.  Trying to be indifferent.  Trying to be blind to all the change that has happened this summer.  And trying to forge ahead without looking back too much.

I sat down to write this because I knew I had to post something this week, but I had no idea what to say.  And I still don't.

But today I don't want to be too thoughtful.  I just want to take a brief moment to recognize what an impact this summer has made on my life and to thank the people in my life that I don't thank often enough.

For those of you who don't know, it's been a big summer.  A one word summary? Change.
Change, change, change, and realizing that there's no other way to say it: change sucks.
And realizing when there's no one else to turn to - pray, pray, pray.
And realizing, though life's tough sometimes, I've got some pretty amazing friends and family.

So I just want to say to quick thanks to the friends who've always had my back.  Lucy, Anna, Olivia, Hayat - I can't thank you enough for all the support you've freely given to me especially in these past few months with all the crazy goings-on and all my insane plans and dreams.  You have no idea the confidence you've inspired in me and without you, I'd be another lost soul on this ever-changing planet.

And to my family - what can I say?  Nothing I do can ever phase you, and as much as that drives me crazy, I know it's only because you know me and love me so well.  I can't explain how much I love and respect all of you and I can't begin to comprehend how very blessed I am to have each and every one of you in my life.

Going in to my sophomore year, there are so many unknowns.  So much the future may or may not hold for me.  And so very much to do.

I'm trying to just breath it all in before the crazy rush of classes and homework and theater and friends and life in general.  Because I know I'm gonna close my eyes one second, and open them the next, and it'll be over.  Another year, gone.  Swept under this growing rug that is my life.

And this year, as odd as it sounds, I want to be brave.

I want to make new friends and try new things and somehow get my words to reach the far corners of this earth.  I want to inspire.

And so, I suppose, to bring a conclusion to this rambling mess of a post, I'd just like to officially bid summer farewell.  'Twas good in many ways.  Hard in others.  But as much as I'd like to just stay bitter about the bad parts, I think it would be much wiser to thank God for the good parts.  And to trust that as He is telling the story, and I am merely playing the part, He knows what He's doing.  And He has much better things in store for us.

So just remember this one thing for me: always be a little scared, so you can be a little brave.

...Love, Anna...