Strength

Time flies. It's been exactly ten days since my last post. The last post I was in sort of a "I don't care about anything mood." I'm doing a little better now. I changed it, from not caring about anything to, just caring about positive things that are going to make me better. Remember, it is 2014 !!!  The year of being better. I have been trying to be a little better each day than I was the previous day. I have done that by being, "Slow to anger, Slow to speak." 

I don't have anything super inspirational or motivational or even funny to say. However, I will say that the time is now. If not now, then when? If not you, then who ? Who deserves it more than you? Who has been through all you've been through and obtained the strength you have? Only YOU. If you or I want anything this year (or any other year) then we have to stop making excuses and get serious. I was scrolling on twitter last week (like I often do, lol), I saw a tweet that someone had retweeted, it really spoke to me. It said, "Don't complain about it, If you allow it." This goes for anything in your life. If you can change something, anything in your life, change it. If you won't change it, then don't complain. Our problem, myself included, is that we have become too complacent. We let so much stuff slide. We say we want respect, then we allow people to take advantage of us. If we want something, we have the power, ability, and means to go after it and succeed. The only thing stopping you is you. You are your biggest enemy and your greatest friend.

.:JRSN:.

The Present

What to write, what to write? I'm trying to gather up the strength to write something inspirational or motivational. The truth is, I don't have any. I don't even have any sad love poems or thoughts. (I know you all loved those.) So maybe I should write just real stuff, how I feel. Right now I feel tired. Physically, from being back in class and going through the hustle and bustle of being a student at a major university (UGA , Go Dawgs! ) Also, from being a student-athlete, track practice has been rough for me getting back into shape after being injured for almost two months. I'm also mentally tired, from thinking about all the things I want to accomplish this semester and devising a plan to achieve those goals. Next, I'm emotionally tired from investing so many emotions into one or two particular things and getting worked up over them. So really tired is an understatement

I'm good at writing inspirational posts and even better at writing sad posts, but this post is an 'in-between' post. I'm not quite sure how I feel about any particular thing right now. I have so many goals and hopes, but then again I don't want to get too focused on expectations. I recently came across a quote while scrolling on Instagram (where I tend to scroll a lot) and I'd like to share the quote with you. "Those who are depressed, spend too much time thinking about the past. Those who are anxious, spend too much time thinking about the future..." I can't remember the rest, but that in itself is very profound. So I'm not going to think too much about the past or the future and just live in the present. I'll see how that goes...

.:JRSN:.

Things Not Seen

Where is the compassion? Does anyone care about anything other than themselves anymore? We’re so caught up in our own problems that we fail to realize there are people in worse situations than we are in. We speak about feeding the hungry in Africa, when there are hungry people in the US, right in our own city. We place so much importance on the little things in our lives, that we don’t see the homeless woman going down to her “home” by the railroad tracks. We are Americans. Our country has been blessed by God and yet we don’t want to give to the needy. We pride ourselves on being self-sufficient when in actuality we aren’t. We can’t control what we were born into. We were born with many privileges that others were not born with. 

Where is the love? Does anyone show love other than to themselves anymore? It seems like we have been so caught up in ourselves and making ourselves happy that we neglect the feelings of others. We speak about a self-love but what good is that if you don’t show any love to other people? We see people hurting every day but we don’t take it to heart, because it’s not us. Well, what if it was you? Would you want someone to show you love and compassion? If you were born into a situation where you were the “less fortunate” wouldn’t you want help?

Where is the help? We pay so many taxes to the government. They claim they don’t have any money, but yet there are always new roads, and buildings being built. There are homeless people walking around. We don’t know if they were born in their situation or if they just lost everything they had and became homeless. We don’t know because we don’t ask. We don’t ask because we don’t care. We think we are so much better than them, but we’re not. That man that you see living under the bridge, he was once young and ambitious like you. He once had a family support system and he had goals and education also. However, he ended up losing his job when his company had to lay people off. His wife got sick and he didn’t have the insurance to pay anymore so he took out loans because he loved her. He lost everything because he loved her. Now, she’s dead and he’s homeless and we turn our noses up at him. Why? Where is the compassion? Where is the love? Where is the help?

New Year, Better Me

It’s New Years Day! January 1, 2014. I’m so blessed to see a new year. It’s such an amazing concept to think about how this year is like a clean slate. I haven’t made any mistakes this year, and I haven’t been mean to anyone this year. Each New Year,  is God giving us yet another chance to get it right.

A lot of people adopt the slogan, “New Year, New Me.” But I’m not going to do that. You see, I started my change last year.  I was already changing and making better choices. So this year, I don’t want a “new me” I just want a “better me.” I want to think better thoughts, so I can make better decisions. I want better friendships, relationships, finances and better grades, too. I want better for everyone around me and I want a better role in helping others. I want better for my family and friends who struggled a lot last year. I want better for the teams and athletes that I support and am a part of. I want better for Kobe and the Lakers. I want better for Michael Vick. I want better for the Braves. I want better for Allyson Felix. I want better for ALL UGA sports. I want this year to be better all around. Despite the injuries, coaching changes, transfers and trades that went forth last year and might happen this year, I want better. Point blank.

Once I make up in my mind to be better, I will be better. If everyone in the world, decided one little thing it’d be amazing. Not asking anyone to change completely or be a new them, but just decide to be better than last year. Imagine, how much less tragedy, pain and crime there would be if we all decide to be better. I left my pain, grudges and bitterness in 2013. I challenge YOU to do the same and be better in 2014.

.:JRSN:.