It's Raining, It's Pouring

1. Sweatshirts are perfect for chilly weather.
2. Milk is necessary.
3. It's a sad day when one runs out of Tang.
4. Don't forget rain boots.

For the past few weeks, I have been volunteering at a local elementary school in their Spanish immersion program. I was placed in a classroom of 2nd and 3rd graders and boy, has it been interesting. I think I have learned Spanish more than I have taught it.

When I got to the school this morning at 8:00am, it was just starting to storm. The teacher was trying to teach the kids some new vocabulary words, but every single one of them was distracted by the approaching storm. Then suddenly, there was a thunder clap and quite a few of the kids jumped and started jabbering on about the storm. Naturally, the teacher became frustrated and told me to help her close the blinds on the windows. Her theory was, "If they can't see it, they won't think of it." The storm raged on outside and the class day continued. I left at 10:00am, which meant I had to walk to my car in the rain. I was only wearing flats for shoes and let's just say my feet became quite wet. I made it back to my dorm, but not without being drenched with water.

Some of the people around me are going through some rough times. They are not only battling their internal demons, but there seems to be a storm raging outside of them. For me, when I'm going through situations like this, I feel nearly helpless. My mind plays a mantra of "I just can't do this" - I can't handle my own demons and deal with the storm around me at the same time. Sometimes all I need is for someone to shut the blinds to the storm, calm me down, and make me focus on the task at hand: myself.

But shutting the blinds doesn't make the storm disappear - it only masks it for a while so you can figure things out in yourself before running out into the storm. And if you were to ignore the outside forever, how would you know if the storm has passed and it's sunny again? How will you know if the storm did any damage and needs repair? While closing the blinds to the storm may help for a while, it is only temporary.

And when you do run out into the storm, which I highly recommend, wear rain boots. Sure, we can wait until the storm passes, but why wait when you can move forward, experience new things, learn from the rain, and have the dirt be washed off by it (ever notice how when you go through tough times, the little petty things don't seem to matter after a period of time?).

Sometimes the rain does come, but there's always a rainbow, something to be learned.

Peace!

-Nicole

Life Is Like a Box of... Pi?

1. One can have too much Spanish in one day.
2. Sometimes skipping a class is necessary.
3. Registering for classes at 6:30am is torture, but sometimes it does go well.
4. Life is like a box of...pi?

I think it is strange how life can be intensely sad and absolutely wonderful at the same time. Like right now. I have my friend Bekka staying with me from Missouri (which is pretty cool) but the reason she is here isn't so awesome - Bekka's grandma died on Monday. Although I love having her here, I almost wish she wasn't because it would mean her grandma would still be alive. It's a sort of a...bittersweet situation.

My life seems to be complied of such instances: I'm in a play right now, but it removes me from my friends and sleep. I registered for classes this morning successfully, but I had to get up at 6 in order to do so and sleep is scarce right now. I am connecting more with a friend, but she might be transferring out. My life is awesome and there is so much to be grateful for, but there's also a lot of things to hate.

But this is what I have figured out: one must find their quality of life by looking at the good side of things. Sure, there is a lot to want to get rid of, but it's like if you have a ton of coins in your hand - sometimes you see the shiny side of the coin and sometimes you see the dull side...all you have to do is flip the coin to see the shine. The dull side is still there - it's just shown from the other side.

And here is another thing: life is never ending. (In honor of Pi Day...) Like pi, life is never ending. Sometimes things repeat, but ofttimes it comes in different form and orders and it simply never ends. You can try to find the end of things, but it is practically impossible. And it's always changing; things pass and new things come your way. Terrible things don't last for long.

So on this ridiculously warm day (it's supposed to be 61), find joy in things you would never think to find joy in.

Peace!

-Nicole

Look Mom! No Pants!

1. Lazy Sunday afternoons are glorious.
2. Don't park in muddy parking spots.
3. Don't start homework at 10:30.
4. Be sunlight.

Yesterday was like living in a wonderland. I was surrounded by a few bouquets of flowers, the breeze was coming in through my window, I had a cup of cinnamon tea, my homework for today was done, and I spent the afternoon laying around and talking....not to mention the sun was shinning all day. And the best part? I didn't wear pants. No worries, I did wear a dress, but for the first time in many months, I haven't had the need to wear tights underneath them. It's a good day when I don't need to wear pants.

I couldn't feel sad yesterday - it was too much of a perfect day for me to be sad. It's not that a ton of fantastic things happened (it was a typical Sunday for me); what it was, I believe, is the sunlight and warmth. Sunlight instantly improves my mood, no matter what and especially because we hadn't had a warm/sunny day like that in a few months, it was a wonderful thing.

I have a friend from high school who nicknamed me "Nicole Rae of Sunshine." (My middle name is Rae.) When I asked her why she nicknamed me this, she said, "Because it's true." Now, I don't know if I totally agree with her, but since then, I have strived to live up to that nickname. Sunlight sheds light on nearly everything. Even if there is a shadow, a few hours later the sun is facing the other direction and suddenly you can see. If you open a door to a dark room, the room is flooded in warm light. As cheesy as it sounds, I want to be that. I want "light up a room" and improve the mood.

But sometimes light can be annoying and can burn. Have you met people who are a bit too full of sunlight? To the point of annoyance? To the point of burn out? There is a thin line we can cross between being happy and being too happy.

So today, although it may be raining, be the sunlight in the world. Find the good things in your life. I just got back from my psychology class, where we are studying happiness. There was a study done where participants were asked to write down 5 things they were grateful for each week. After 10 weeks of doing so, researchers saw an increase of happiness and life satisfaction. See, happy people naturally do happy things: they do acts of kindness, strive towards their goals, and they nurture relationships. Happiness builds and everyone around you can feel the effects of it. And the happier your friends are, the happier you are... it's a wonderful cycle.

Enjoy the sunlight - literal and figurative. Heck, be that light if you really want to. Let people sit in your light and be warmed (and maybe pants won't be necessary*).

Peace!

-Nicole




*Do not take this sexually. Refer to the first paragraph.