Small Fish, Bigger Ponds

A pond, a lake, and the ocean; which do we live in?

It's a question I was posed with this week and am still racking my brain in trying to answer it. In the midst of ending one career path to journey upon another, I was asked one common and questioning cliche:

"Would you rather be the big fish in a small pond or get lost in the ocean?" 

I'd be lying if I said it isn't something I thought about, but I never thought it'd be something I'd have to answer to.

Cross It Off the Bucket List

St. Ignatius Catholic Church in San Francisco, CA

Six years have passed since I last visited this artistic wonder. Reminiscing on the physical and spiritual beauty, while remembering the first time it took my breath away at 18 continues to leave me breathless. God has blessed me with amazing opportunities in life that I will forever be thankful for, including the chance of visiting spectacular sites such as this so early in life.

Having said that, it's an awakening to take a step back into the past and realize how far I've come in these past few years--specifically to realize how much I've changed. The 18 year old girl who first stepped into this church is no where near the one stepping in it today. But I suppose that's one of life's own artistic wonders created by the master painter himself...allowing Him to finish one part of the painting so that we can take a step back to look at the full masterpiece.

Why I've Decided Not To Get My Master's Degree (For Now)

We all have that one question that we dread answering.

It's the eye-rolling question, or the "eye-flutter," as some of my friends would say. The one thing you'd rather not have to answer, or better yet, the one thing you'd rather not have someone ask you.

The worst part of it all is that you know it's coming--you can feel it--you can sense it. Its silent steps seem to slither into almost every casual conversation, no matter the person. It's not that your hatred of the subject is the root of your never-ending annoyance and dislike; it's the inevitable expectations, programmed from predictable societal standards, that carve loathing irritation into your heart.

So, what's mine, you ask? Six simple words; one complex assumption.

Jerusalem, Christmas Trimmings and a New Year

After surviving the end of the world, living through 2012, rejoicing in our Savior's birth and returning to Jerusalem, it's time to take a stab at this neglected blog thing yet again.

So...where do I begin?

At the end of every year, (2009, 2010 and 2011) I tend to look back and reflect on the past lessons I've learned and the new person I've become. Time never ceases to teach me the simple lessons I seem to overlook with ignorance and stubbornness at one point or another. And so, at the end of 2012, there's one thing that time, my fickle friend and bitter enemy, has taught me most of all:

I know absolutely nothing about anything.

I've loved with all that I could and lost more than I wanted; I've grown incredibly close to new friends and created distance between old ones; I've pushed my career further than ever before and lost sight of more important arenas in my life. I've done more and lost more and had no idea what I was doing the whole time. I knew absolutely nothing about my life--and still don't. I just like to pretend that I do.

Point of the story and/or blog post: If you asked me one year ago, "Where is life going to take you this year," I would have failed miserably attempting to answer correctly.

School in the Big Girl World

When the new school year began, I seemed to be get the same remark from both friends and family still pursuing their education: "You're lucky you've graduated and don't have to go to school anymore."

Ask me 6 months ago, and I probably would have thought the same thing. But now that I'm a "big girl" who gets life insurance applications in the mail (seriously not joking) and has a full-time 9-5 job, I'm now on the other side of the fence.

And the one thing I've learned this summer? Life as a big kid in the real world is a lot like school. Here's the top 3 reasons why:

1. Due Dates: Deadlines. They're everywhere. Get used to it, and get used to following them, because work deadlines will be the worst of them all.

2. Lunch Money: Hey, a girl's got to eat. Whether it's putting a few extra bucks on the side to buy lunch everyday for during your lunch break (a.k.a. lunch hour), or it's packing a sack lunch and bringing it with you, it's that one part of your "big girl" day that will make you feel like you're in kindergarden again.

3. Make Time for Other Things: It's very easy to get sucked into a work (or school) schedule. But there are other priorities in your life besides working--make time for friends, make time for family, and make time for yourself. The tricky part is actually finding the time and energy to do so!

School never ends, neither does learning. So study hard to finish up your 4 years to continue the next 40 years in a different kind of school...the work force.