Monday, July 25, 2011

Friends

Friends. Friends is such a simple word.  But it is a word that contains more meaning than most.  Boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend, close friend, semi friend, just a friend, a friend of a friend.  Just think about all the friends you have - whether it is a close friend or someone you just met.  I bet all those friends have a special meaning to you - right?  Well I want to take a little time to reflect on friendships in general and maybe express my feelings on some of my friends.

First I have a confession - I am a friend whore.  I love meeting new people, making new friends, meeting friends of friends - the whole deal.  New friendships are so exciting to me!  Don't get me wrong I love my friends of many years, but there is something about meeting new people that just makes me happy.  I literally thrive on meeting new people.  Going to a college where I didn't know anyone and I met people I know will be my friends for life.  Going to a foreign country and not knowing anyone and having a life changing experience.  I wouldn't trade any of the friendships that I have made for anything.  I have some of the best friends a girl could ask for.  I know they will ALWAYS be there for me no matter the situation.  Some of them are the sisters I never had and the additional brothers.  You know who you are.

When asked "who is your best friend?" I have to take a moment and think about it.  I don't think I have a best friend.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  I think it is good.  I have a handful of friends - maybe two handfuls of friends - that I know I can turn to when I am in need of something or I just need to vent - those would be my best friends.  I might turn to one friend more often than another, but that doesn't mean they are better than the others.

I have met some pretty amazing friends over the years.  I don't really want to put names in the blog, because I don't want anyone to feel left out if I didn't mention them, so we will save those names for another time - but I am sure you all know who you are.

Friendships might fade away out of our control or we might have a fight that ends a friendship, but just know friendships are meant to be healthy and rewarding.  That is not to say they won't be challenging at times and take extra hard work, but in the end it should be healthy and rewarding.  Friendship is a two way street.  There is only so much one person can do on their own in a friendship.  I challenge everyone - including myself - to take another look and all your friendships.  The first questions we should ask - is this healthy?  Maybe that is a little broad of a questions but I look at it as an overview and then we can dig deeper into the friendship... Next ask yourself what makes you friends with said person - maybe you guys are party friends or maybe church friends or sisters - whatever it is just make sure you know it.  Then ask yourself do you trust them?  The keepers are the ones you can trust with just about anything in my opinion.  I love the friends where you can talk for hours another absolutely nothing or about something super important like future goals or religion and you can also sit in complete silence with that friend and it is not awkward at all - those my readers are true friends.  Again these are just my opinions and thoughts - take them to heart or let them be.

A couple friends lately have been helping through some interesting times lately - I don't want to use the word difficult, because isn't difficult so we will just go with interesting.  One of the the friends has let me vent to them numerous times over the last week or so and I appreciate that more than ever.  Just sitting in their kitchen eating pasta out of the pot talking about life is perfect.  Another friend has been acting extra cheerful and just being the happiness I need in my life - all the time.  It is great to always have that friend who is happy - well almost always happy to turn to.  The last of the friends I want to mention tonight has just been being themselves.  They are always there with encouraging words, a funny picture they drew, a random text - just seems like exactly what I need at the present moment they already got it covered.  These my readers are true friends - I will never let anyone of these three friends out of my reach - ever.

Sometimes I do get a little overwhelmed with friendships - I feel as though I have too many friends to keep in contact with.  But I am pretty darn sure it is a blessings.  I never feel alone - just overwhelmed by amount of friends sometimes.  I love all my friends, I really do, just sometimes Toria needs a little time to herself.   Sometimes the thrill of meeting new people and making new friends bites you in the butt for a day or two, but then you pick yourself up again and get back to work :)

Well these are just some thoughts on friendship in general and my friendship.  Please enjoy.

College friends.
Brother and longest friend.

Just two pictures of friends - can't use up all my friend pictures in one blog! Stay happy.

Paz y Amor.  God Bless.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Time and Place

Something that is always on my mind is time - I have blogged about it before (Spain blog) but it is a never ending thought.  Time can go fast or slow.  Thinking about my time in Spain feels forever ago - boarding the plane in Chicago not knowing a single person.  However, what really got me thinking about time is this summer - it is going fast but going slow.  Since summer physics ended last week I guess you could say that my 'summer' has started. But in a way I have been a little bored without the constant pressure of school work - I have been a student for so long.  Don't get me wrong the break is nice, but in a way I miss school and it has legit only been a little over a week!  

I have always been thinking about time in the sense of places.  I don't know if that is the correct way to word it, but what I mean is how you can spend so much time in one place and never really understand the place or how little time you can spend in place and know it all so much.  I have come to the conclusion everything is what you make it - college, friends, relationships, etc.  Seriously what you make something is what you are going to get out of it.  Think about it.  One main example that I can think of is religion.  If you don't put anything into your relationship with God it will be hard for you to get anything out of the relationship with God.  We should all put our full effort into everything we do.  I can personally say that I don't put my all into everything I do - I will be the first to admit I am a work in progress. 

Something I have to remember is life is great and no matter how bad it might seem everything will be okay.  I just have to trust in God, my friends, and my family that everything will be okay.  In the end everything will be okay and if its not okay then it is not the end. Well these were just some thoughts for the day.  I think I am going to go for a run or a swim.  A tradition I am going to start is leaving you all with a picture that has a special meaning to me - whether it is a picture I have taken or a friend has taken or a picture I found somewhere.

Steven, Katie, me, and Paul.  These three people mean the world to me. Thanks guys for everything that you have done for me!!

Paz y Amor. God Bless.



Monday, July 18, 2011

Back to Blogging

Hello world,

This is my second blog.  My first blog was dedicated to my study abroad adventure this past semester in Madrid, Spain - this blog will be structured a little different.  For starters there is no main focus of this blog - it is a free for all.  It is a place for me to express emotions, share stories, and be myself.  I might post three days in a row and then not post for a week - it is a relaxed blog.

A little about myself.  I am a Junior studying Environmental Science with a focus on biology and geology at Saint Louis University.  I am in love with rocks but I love water even more - hence the title of the blog - Water for Life.  I have some goals in life that will be difficult to reach, but that will not stop me from attempting to reach them.

I have some of the best friends a girl could ask for.  The three F's mean the world to be - Faith, Family, and Friends.  Water skiing is a major passion of mine alone with volunteering.  Well as this blog develops you will know me pretty well so I am not going to go into too much detail.

Just one thing - as you read the various posts on my blog please make sure to respect them and take what I am sharing with the world to heart.

To leave you all with a summer picture of my passion:

To keep the tradition alive from my last blog:
Paz y Amor. God Bless.