Compromise. Embrace it.

Compromise. It is one of the most necessary and determining acts in this life. It is the soul of the give and take relationship people have with  one another. We all make compromises every single day; sometimes without even realizing it. It can be one of the most difficult, yet most natural acts of our daily lives. Compromise is crucial to the flow of life. Without it, we would all be trapped in a dark and selfish world in which we refused to give selflessly to others for a common good; therefore, bereaving our lives of the light that shines from spiritual gifts offered by others. I believe it is safe to say that compromising with one another is a good thing. When we stand stubborn in our ways, we often miss the chance to let something or someone into our life that brings forth enrichment. We should always strive to be open to compromise.

However, lately I have been doing a lot of thinking about the relationship of compromise with ones self. Sometimes, we find ourselves in a situation in which, in order to remain stable, we have to compromise who we are. I say we have to, but I suppose I should say that we choose to. We have all been guilty of it at some point in our lives. It's amazing to me how easy it is for us humans to compromise ourselves and our values. After all, we spend our entire lives becoming who we are, through many trials and tribulations; we question ourselves, we travel along beaten and unbeaten paths trying to figure it out. We choose the things that we believe in, and we sometimes face adversity for being passionate and standing our ground, but in the end, it makes us who we are. Then, something or someone comes along, and suddenly we feel the need to compromise those beliefs and values in order to fit them into our lives. I've learned throughout my life, that the benefits from compromising who I am are very short-lived. Eventually, the real version catches up to the  compromised version of ourselves. Another life lesson learned...

I don't think that we ever stop learning about who we are. There are times when I feel like a walking contradiction. I can be grounded and spontaneous all in the same breath. So, it can be confusing. Is this me compromising myself, or is this just life teaching me something about myself that has always been there, but below the surface? Compromising ourselves can often lead to the feeling that we've lost our sense of dignity, but I think it can also lead to realizing that maybe we weren't compromising our self after all; we were going against our grain, and as a result, learning something new about our self. So, as long as our dignity is in tact and we feel good about ourselves...I say, embrace it. We all have different sides to ourselves, and sometimes it takes a new job, a new city or a complete stranger to bring that other side out. Live it....


It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. -e.e. cummings

I'll Settle for Life...

To settle, or to be content in a life or in a situation in which your happiness has not reached it's full potential; it's a tempting idea, and I can even understand why so many people do it. However, forgive me if I don't join the others on that bandwagon. I'm twenty-seven and single....by choice, not by chance. I have a wonderful family and an amazing group of friends; my life is complete. Yes, of course, I do look forward to the day that comes with the man I will spend the rest of my life with, and build a family with; however, I do not need that man to make my life complete.  I have had many an opportunity to settle, and you would think that the older I get, the more tempting it would be, but it's the exact opposite. Some may say that I get more and more picky with age, but I say that I get wiser and more in-tune with myself and what it is that I want out of this life. I have seen one too many people desperately try to turn Mr. Right Now into Mr. Right because they are "twenty-something" years old and that's just what you do when you're "twenty-something"....you get married. Well, not this girl. I will not mold someone into who I want them to be, and I do not need to change who I am for anyone else. I refuse to just be content.

Do I question decisions made in the past? Yes, all the time. Do I wonder if there has been one wrong decision that should have been made differently? Most definitely. However, do I question that I'm in exactly the right place in my life as of today? Absolutely not. Here and now is exactly where I am supposed to be. I have never been more sure of that. God has a plan for this world that we reside in, and the life that I live is a part of that plan. There are some days that I will pass a couple on the street, in a restaurant, or in the comfort of a friend's home,  that exudes love and happiness, and with my head slightly tilted and a simple grin on my face, I will drift off into a dream of the simplest day that I will spend with the love of my life; walking our dog, enjoying dinner at our favorite restaurant, or simply soaking up life from our lawn chairs. I would be lying if I said that I do not hope for that. However, I'm not waiting around for life to happen, because it is already happening. I live for today, and today, I am happy. I am 27 years old and single, and I am happy. Imagine that.

"When it comes to relationships, maybe we're all in glass houses, and shouldn't throw stones. Because you can never really know. Some people are settling down, some are settling and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies." -Carrie, Sex and the City

ex-pe-ri-ence [ik-speer-ee-uhns]

-noun
1. something lived through
2. observation of events as they occur
3. knowledge gained from such things


"Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes." Oscar Wilde 
Perhaps this is true. However, it is my belief, that a mistake only becomes experience when you learn from it. If you don't learn anything from mistakes made, then they remain just that, mistakes. Everyone makes them, but unfortunately, one does not always learn from them. Experience can be a very powerful thing, but only if you allow it. Learn from your mistakes and use that knowledge to better yourself as a person. Chances are, the mistakes that we all make, were made for a reason; to teach us a lesson that God intended for us to learn.

That is all that I have for today. I hope that everyone had a safe and fun holiday weekend!

Psalm 34:19
A righteous man may have many troubles; but the Lord delivers him from them all.