I'm done competing.

This is me. This girl, woman, sister, daughter, friend, cousin, child, adult, this is who I am. At least for now. I'm constantly growing, changing, and evolving. Right now isn't the end. Right here isn't the end all be all. My story isn't over. It's still being written.

You be you.

I'll be me.

Whatever happens happens, but I'm done constantly worrying about it.

Always,
L.A.

"I wish it could just be simple, like a retro pop song, 'I want you to want me.' Boom. End of story. We all live happily ever after. But it is never really like that, is it?"
-John Tucker Must Die

Take heart.

When things like this happen, I pull out my Bible and look to it for comfort. There I look for hope in the most hopeless times. Today, John 16:33 calls for remembering:

"In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world."

If there's one thing we've learned in these tragic times, most recently in the light of today's shooting in Newton, Connecticut, it's that life is short. You never know when your time might be up. We've been given this time on Earth for a reason. So use it wisely.

Call those you've neglected lately. Tell them how much you miss them.
How much you love them.

After all, only God knows what tomorrow will bring.

Always,
L.A.

“Someday you’ll find the right person, and you’ll learn to have a lot more confidence in yourself. That’s what I think. So don’t settle for anything less.”

—Haruki Murakami

The real kicker is that you don't even know the effect you have on me.

"Nobody wants to experience denial and the only guaranteed way to avoid it is not putting yourself out there at all. We think, the universe can’t push us off the mountain if we don’t climb it in the first place. But to that same token we have no shot at seeing and experiencing the top of the mountain living so guardedly."
— Christopher Hudspeth - What Happens To Our Dreams As We Get Older

Remembering to have faith...waiting for You,

And I do believe. Most days. But sometimes, on nights like tonight, my heart develops that steady ache that can only be forgotten through a long and deep sleep.

As far as I know, I haven't met you yet. But oh, for the love of Pete, do I miss you.

Gosh I miss you.

Always always yours,

me

image courtesy of tylerknott.com