Life Rule: If it's not broken, don't fix it.

If something is working, don't go looking for problems.

Don't seek out inadequacies or dwell on unfulfilled desires.

Instead of counting what you could have, cherish the fortunes you do possess

-family, friends, knowledge, faith-

Treasure these.

Know that they work.

Sure you'll have to do some maintenance along the way,

but don't waste your time searching for ick (noun.)

And take comfort in this confession...

Sometimes things do go exactly right.

Not always, not everyday, but sometimes they do.

You take a step back and realize you wish you could hang in that moment forever.

It's the warm feeling in the pit of your stomach, the good kind of ache in your heart.

It's knowing that no matter what comes next, this moment was perfect.

I had that yesterday. It was a special day-Chelsea's graduation.

Huddled next to each other, my aunt and I watched her walk across the stage,

brushing back tears imagining how she will continue to amaze us in the future.

To watch her grow and turn into such a beautiful person-inside and out- is one of my greatest joys.

Congratulations Chelsea, I love you.

Today I am head-over-heels for...

1. Wakey!Wakey! in the One Tree Hill finale.

I listened to this one on repeat all morning.

2. James Patterson. I have been home for 6 days and I have already read three of his books. Murder-mystery-romances are clearly one of my guilty pleasure/mild addictions.

3. "Teach us to care and not to care". T.S. Eliot. Wrapping my head around this and what it may look like in action.

4. THE WEATHER. Hello, summer. I love it!

Today is one of those days that makes you want to do everything and nothing all at once.

You don't want to waste a moment of sunshine- but waste and nothing are at odds today.

Because simply relaxing and blissfully relishing the sun, the warmth, the breeze is everything.

Artwork via Anna Heun

Congratulations Class of 2010. It has been an amazing 4 years.

My eyes are starting to feel the sting of tears already.

It would be impossible to put into words the quality

of the memories that I have made in this chapter of my life.

Suffice to say, that I will never forget.

I will hold on to and cherish the friends I have made and experiences I have had, always.

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, and Goodnight...

If something is twisted, untangle it.

Start with individual pieces; twirl the little parts around the larger ones.

Take hold of one piece, then wiggle weave wrap it through the loops.

Don't focus your entire energy on the overall,

and don't let the minor setbacks surmount your gain-instead, abandon them.

Know that you may have to make tangles along the way to 'untangled'.

Accept that we learn from all attempts.

So make mistakes. And learn from them. And keep working. Keep untangling.

You'll find that there's something kind of wonderful about being knotted and breaking free.

image via rosiehardy

There's something to be said for bravery. For facing your fears,

going head-strong into the eye of the storm. It speaks to your character,

your sense of drive, and your deep-founded passion to explore.

I want to explore. Big things. I've done a lot of exploration of little things

-my neighborhood, my stacks of Norton Anthologies, my Blackberry-

but now I want to tackle something bigger, something more unknown.

I know it's in me-it's in all of us.

I would like to thank my new-found pastime, etsy for this

piece of inspiration.

image via etsy

Today's trinket courtesy of : The Wedding Date

The hardest thing

is loving someone

and having the courage

to have them love you back.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Here's to a sunny day filled with dance and cheer and wonderfully complete happiness...

My mother is the most important role model I have-

and I think this is arguably true of all mothers.

They have a certain, distinct quality that no one else can emulate.

Although we may not always want to recognize it,

mothers are right and good and our very source of life and spirit-

and we would have it no other way.

Thank you Mom, for teaching me how to love in so many ways.

We may lose and we may win,

...but we will never be here again.

As we get older, lines muddle.

The area between right and wrong, good and bad turns to gray.

It takes a sound belief in yourself and what you stand for

to confidently step forward,

knowing that you are the best version of yourself.

Today I believe...

that sometimes you are the most ready

when you realize you will never be completely ready.

Capture the moments...

All of them.

Because once they're gone,

you want the memories to hold.

You want to hear a song or see a picture

that sends you back to a moment that marked your life.

So capture all of them.

This is my theme for the week.

It is my last week of student teaching

and my second to last week of college ever.

I will be holding to the memories I already have

and continually learning how to form new ones when I leave.

Happy May Day...

Not every day can be magical,

but I go into each day believing

in the real possibility that it will be,

and seeking out pieces of magic in little places.