Ode to MPR

"There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for. And questions are the breath of life for a conversation." -James Nathan Miller

Hi hi, it's Megan.  I hope you had a pleasant and relaxing Thanksgiving.

When I go home, I usually drive my mom's Buick wherever I need to go.  My dad sometimes drives the car and so the radio perpetually finds itself tuned to MPR.  Over summer, I would usually tune it back to some variety fm station, but I decided to just sit and listen this time.  The older I get, the more I appreciate MPR, and this past weekend was no exception.  The programming seems to coincide perfectly in some way or other with what's going on with me either internally or externally.  I drove home late at night after getting together with friends at a coffee shop to a beautifully told story.  On my way shopping with my mom, we listened to a conversation about the value of allowing kids to do wild and crazy things, despite our desire to keep them safe from disappointment.  It definitely provided a much needed external perspective for my mother and I.

On Friday, I spent most of the day with my dad.  We realized we hadn't talked at all since the election and so we had a great conversation about global politics, the Israeli/Palistinian conflict, and about successful economic policies in countries other than the United States.  This included a rather excited conversation about Social Security. :P  I missed my dad quite a bit and was rather sad I missed my family's Thanksgiving celebration and the annual all day board game playing session that goes along with it. My dad and I tend to be partners no matter what game we decide on. Since we've lost many family members on that side, holidays are always intensely bittersweet and I lament missing any of them.  

It might sound crazy, but board games always remind me of my family members. I always feel closer to them during a lively round of TriBond or even CatchPhrase.  In the same way, I also feel closer to my dad when listening to the familiar voices on MPR.

Peace, love, and warm thoughts as the weather grows colder.

-Megan

Relief

I went back to my psychologist today.  The past few months I have been feeling the pressure from life. Most of the time, I can figure things out, put systems in place, and continue on. But life has given me a ton of weird, genetically mutated lemons and I don't know how to make lemonade with them. That is to say, my way of dealing with things isn't sufficient any more. "Anxiety NOS - not otherwise specified" is what I was diagnosed with. Next week, my psychologist Amy and I will come up with a therapy plan and go from there.

After the appointment this morning, I felt something I have been waiting for: relief. Or should I say, the anticipation of relief. I am ready for my shoulders to relax, to feel rested in the morning, and to feel a good connection with someone again. I'm ready to do whatever it takes to feel relief.

My life is a mix of everything right now. I love my classes, yet I can't seem to get a good grasp on some topics. I love my family more than ever, but I am also finding more differences. I love my job in the costume studio and might have chances to co-design a show, but it doesn't pay well and takes a lot of time. Not to mention, I am (finally) a very poor college student. It's bittersweet. At around age 7, a child can begin to understand how words can have multiple meanings, but it seems only now am I fully understanding this concept of multiple meanings.

It's mucky right now, but I am slowly cleaning up the mess from the flood and rebuilding the slightly damaged walls. I'm getting there, but sometimes some time, effort, and outside help is needed. 

Relief is coming.

Peace!

-Nicole

I'm thankful for my mom.

"When I stopped seeing my mother with the eyes of a child, I saw the woman who helped me give birth to myself." -Nancy Friday

Megan here. I'm sorry I haven't been the best at keeping on schedule.

I can't wait to get home for Thanksgiving. For the first time, I'm really starting to miss my family.  This whole college thing is quite effective at making me forget or look past all the little trivial things that annoy me and long for everything else, all the love and positive regard. Absence makes the heart so much fonder.

I have always, always, always been a Daddy's girl, but lately I just miss my mom. Recent events have brought us closer together in that we have reached a better understanding of one another through the things we cannot tolerate. It is not so much we've found a common enemy, but we have found similar causes we are equally passionate about, and now we can mutually listen to each other's frustrations and see parts of ourselves in the dialogue.

My mom is the strongest woman I know. I am so glad and so proud to say everything I know about being my own person I've learned from her.  I inherited much of her appearance, but I also inherited her passion and her spirit--while our stubbornness has led us to butt heads many times, I wouldn't trade that quality for anything.  I am proud of her for following and continuing to follow what is in her heart, despite the difficulties brought about by those choices. 

She is, and always will be, my role-model and the example I look to when doing what I know to be right isn't the easiest course of action. I cannot wait to see her, hug her, listen to her vent about a number of frustrations, and spend Thanksgiving together.

Peace and be well.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday.

-Megan

Hunger

1. On any given night, 760 people in the Fargo-Moorhead area are homeless.
2. Of these, about 17% are under age 18
3. And of everyone total, 41% are employed, 15% full time.
 (numbers are from the 2009 Wilder Study)

Hey everyone! This is Malyn, and I hope you've had a fabulous week.

Lately I've been having the appetite of a 12 year old boy - pizza cravings at midnight, all that. And when these happen, I have the tendency to tell my roommates that I'm STARVINGGGGGG. But am I, am I really? Nope. Not even close. I typically have had a full three meals, and even then on some nights I can afford to indulge my cravings by ordering breadsticks.

It's just made me think. I am so privileged - we all are. I've never known true hunger, and while I know that's not true for everyone that I know or even everyone at Concordia, it's likely that most of you reading this haven't either.

According to HungerFreeMinnesota.org, "One in every ten Minnesotans doesn’t know where his or her next meal is coming from. Of those ten, four are children." That's a lot of people right there. And if you're perhaps 
thinking, as many Americans do, that they must just be lazy, let me tell you: There are working poor, who have full time jobs and still can't make ends meet due to lack of a living wage, there are people with disabilities, there are people who've been left bankrupt by medical bills. Hunger and homelessness have myriad faces.

So let's cease judging, see how crazy ridiculously privileged we are, and work to help others :)

Have a marvelous and awesome week!

-Malyn

Give A Little

Today, the strangest thing happened to me. I was out shopping and was waiting in line to purchase a few things and the cashier asked the lady in front of me if she would like to donate one dollar to St. Jude's Children's Hospital; the lady said no. At first, I just thought maybe she couldn't afford a dollar... But then I noticed her designer purse, and clothes an caught myself judging her.

The holidays have officially begun and honestly it is the time of giving. Sure, I disagree with this lady's actions. But, I also think every one should give what they can.

Giving also includes thanks. Be thankful for what you have. There are so many people in this world that don't have the luxuries we have. The fact that I am in college whilst knowing that kids in parts of the world can't even go to elementary school.

This holiday season I have only one simple request: Love with the gifts God gave you. Love everyone. Give everything you can. Be love.

Be love.
xx
Katie.

Peace Be With You

I have been feeling stressed lately, more than I have felt in a while. The stressors I'm experiencing aren't ones that quickly pass through - they build and require some stamina. My body has been showing signs of it - some weight loss, breaking out, sore throat, sore legs, and emotional exhaustion. I can't help but wish to disengage and hope everything will pass (which of course, will not be helpful). I have been trying to figure out what I need to get through it all. Support, rest, and most of all, peace.

When I started this blog, I ended my first post with "Peace!" because I had no idea how to end a post. But as time has passed, I'm glad I finished that first post with such a word. It has come to represent so much in my life. Peace is what I have discovered is most helpful in stressful situations. In my class on Buddhism, it was one of the main focuses - to center myself and find peace within me. I have discovered peace is best when found in myself. It is true and honest to me and I know it stems from something I believe in, although I may never find what that is. I guess one could call it my "true self" but to me, I am always changing. The one thing that stays constant is peace found within myself.

Life has been loud lately. The political ads, the campaign calls, and the debates between everyone. Being on a campus where politics is pretty central, it gets extremely loud. I loved participating in the politics and developing my own voice, but right now, I'm glad to have some silence and most of all, peace. Maybe that is what will connect us all in the end - peace. The idea of peace everyone agrees about. Conflict may be necessary, but what is the point of conflict if there is no goal of peace?

Today, I am going to find peace in me. I am going to see peace in others and find some common ground. I believe we all have it - we just need to see it once again.

Peace.

-Nicole

Love Thy Neighbor

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." -Jimi Hendrix

Megan here.

I cannot get this election off my mind. I just want it to be over, but my stomach is in knots over the possible outcomes. I will probably cry at some point tomorrow, either tears of joy or immense pain and sorrow.

I wish everyone would always think about how their actions affect those around them, including those already marginalized by society. Voting has real life consequences, and I wish members of my own family realized how important these issues are to me, because it will change our relationship.  There's no way it can't  be affected, and while we'll always be family, that alone does not compel or require me to compromise my values and beliefs in their presence.

"Love thy neighbor."  It seems simple to me.  Love is something that builds someone up. It eases pain, gives comfort, provides a light in the darkness, and makes someone feel safe. Love doesn't shame, invoke fear, or cause pain. Love thy neighbor means showing respect, providing for needs, ending stigmatization and discrimination, and overall just being a decent person.

Please, please, please, please go vote.  From the bottom of my heart, I urge you to step into that voting booth and think about how those marks will affect your neighbors.  Show some respect and show some love.  I think if we need more of anything these days, it's precisely that. Love.

With all of my LOVE,

Megan