She was precious like a flower.

Life is funny the way it works. The way the wind against your skin can send a spark of contentment that pierces through your soul, even if only for a minute. The way a leaf falling through the sky can bring a slight smile to your face even in your darkest hours. The way a single conversation can bring confusion to your head but happiness to your heart.

What is life without risk? Yeah, risk is scary. It makes you vulnerable and vulnerability makes us weak, or at least we think so. But isn’t that what love is all about? Being vulnerable and nervous, yet comfortable and full of joy.

Love is a rush of emotions. It’s hard to explain and even harder to understand, but ultimately it’s what we all hope for. It’s what we all wish for. Some of us may be lucky enough to find it. Others may have found it and let it slip through their fingers only to realize years later that they’ll never find it again. Some settle. Some spend their whole life seeking out love, while others wait on love to find them.

If you ask me, love is part of each individual’s destiny. You can’t control it. Love has a way of finding us, at the perfect moment, at the perfect time, in the perfect place, with the perfect person. Patience. That’s the key. Love will find you. Take peace in knowing that love is out there, and it will find you, one day.

Today.

Not tomorrow.

I have to remember that.

So much has changed in the few short months that I’ve been back since Christmas break. And all the change that has happened has definitely been for the best.

Letting go.

It feels good.

Giving everything to God. Again. Feels good.

All the bitterness. All the hatred. All the hurt. All the pain. All the sins. My past. My present. My future.

It’s all His.

He’s reawakened my soul. He’s softened my heart. He’s given me hope. He’s answered my prayers. He’s showed me the true and overwhelming love of friendships in Christ.

Community. Love. Joy. Happiness. Fufillment. Forgiveness. Grace.

That doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes or fall up short. Because I do.

I always will.

For He is the only one shining in perfection.

There’s hope.

Everywhere.

Because in Him, I am free.

It’s that moment you meet someone and know instantly you could love them. Truly love them. All it takes is one single moment to realize that this could really last. Only you know it’s impossible. He’s there and you’re here, miles apart.

Sitting in the sand, cooled by the early morning air but knowing it’ll soon warm by sunrise. Gazing into the ocean, waves crashing in the background. Laughing with that giddy laugh, face flushed from the sweet words coming out of his mouth. His warm touch pulling you in close managing to make the cold night warm in his arms. The flirtatious sound in his voice right before he places a kiss on your forehead. Looking over, deep in his eyes as you realize he’s about to pull your face in close to his. The butterflies in your stomach as his hand moves towards your face. His sweet warm lips sending a spark through your entire body. Somehow this person, only knowing him for a few short hours, breaks your walls down. He makes you feel something you haven’t in a long time. He gets you to talk about your dreams, the dreams only your close friends would ever know. He makes you feel comfortable, something hard to do. No fears. Only that of knowing this night will come to an end too soon.

How is it that a person can make you feel so at ease? Like you’ve known them forever when in reality, you’ve known them for less than a days time. How can one person leave such a lasting impression?

His laugh, weird but cute. His perfect smile. His piercing blue eyes. His goofy, yet appealing sense of humor. His confidence. His belief in God. The understanding tone in his voice. The funny sayings you’ve only heard from him. His accent, surprisingly attractive although not southern. The ease he has at making something awkward seem so normal. His warmth. His respect. The lines he feeds you, making you believe your special. And maybe you are. He gives you that hope, false or not. The way he jokes about loving you, even only after a day. And the love you see escape from his soul, shining outwardly to others.

How can one person leave such a huge impression? One that continues to creep into your mind day after day?

Is it possible that there’s really only one person in the world for you. One single person. Your soulmate? What if you just walked away from him, never to see him again. Will fate bring you together? And if it does, how long will it take.

Will your memories of this moment last only a short time, before a new one slowly washes the old one away? No. Don’t let those memories fade away.

Hold them close to your heart. Now. And forever.

De colores.

Let me run through wild flowers and float through the sky.

The Lord never ceases to amaze me. I know I haven’t been the best daughter to him as of late. After my whole world turned upside down last semester, my trust for anyone or anything, including the one who is always holding my right hand, more or less faded away. It saddens me even today to realize how far away I’ve been from my one and ONLY prince charming, the good Lord himself. Every now and then though I am reminded of how powerful and good God truly is. My boss at work received an email from a lady the other day that explained to him how she hadn’t been able to get up the strength to come to the park this season. However the other day, her husband took her later in the evening so she wouldn’t have to be out in the heat all day. She went on to say how much she really enjoyed the Safari train and the young girl that was giving the tour. She enjoyed it so much that she made sure to stay as close as she could to the train station the next trip just to hear the girl greet the next train full of people boarding. She said the girl was full of life and had a sweet tone to her voice that brought tears to her eyes. The woman had been told just days before that she was dying. Yet that young girl brought her happiness that she’ll only get for a little while longer in her life. I’m not sure if that young girl was me or not, but if it was, I couldn’t be more grateful for touching that woman’s life. And if it wasn’t, it inspired me to do something like that girl did. I want to change people’s lives. I want to make an impact and what I realized the other day, was that God put me at this goofy theme park for the summer for a REASON. I am here to touch people’s lives, even though I never thought telling people about animals would change their lives…it does. And it has. And I want to continue doing that, not just now, but always. I want everything in my life to go according to God’s plan, not my own. It’s not always easy. Actually, a majority of the time, it’s really hard, but I know it’s worth it. And to all of you who don’t believe it is, I promise you, IT IS WORTH IT. God has a plan. It’ll get better. Trust in that, and trust in the Lord. He is your hope. He is your strength. He is your everything.

I got to thinking today about relationships. Not just the whole boyfriend and girlfriend relationship but relationships in general. Some people come into your life so unexpectedly while others leave in the same way. Sometimes you know immidiately that a certain person is going to be really special to you, not just for now, but forever. Other times it takes a while for a friendship to grow and mature before you really realize how important and neccessary a certain person is in your life. Over the past year I have made new friendships, grown in frienships I’ve already had for years, and lost a few of those special people that I thought would always be in my life along the way. What I realized was that no matter what, those people that you thought would matter, well they still do. They’ll hold a special place in your heart for the rest of your life. Sometimes you’d rather them not, but overtime, you’re glad they do because they’re part of your past and part of your past are memories. Memories are what makes life worth while. Those moments you can look back on and laugh, or cry, or just smile and think to yourself, “If only I could go back, just for a day.” Memories make you who you are. They shape you and guide you and help you learn. They help you learn about life and what the journey really is all about. Life is about joy and happiness and unfortunately, heartache and tears. All those things are important in life, because each one of those things are experiences. They’re experiences that you’ll look back on and say “This is why I am who I am.” And so far, I like who I am. So I thank all of you who have made me, me. And I appreciate all those who have been along side of me through this crazy journey called life. You’re all special to me.

Take a look at yourself in the mirror, who do you see looking back? Is it the person you want to be? Or is there someone else you were meant to be, the person you should have been, but fell short of? Is someone telling you that you can’t or you won’t? Because you can. Believe that love is out there. Believe that dreams come true every day, because they do. Sometimes happiness doesn’t come from money, or fame, or power. Sometimes happiness comes from good friends and family, and from the quiet nobility of leading a good life. So take a look in the mirror and remind yourself to be happy, because you deserve to be. Believe that.

-One Tree Hill