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The Right Way to Eat An Oreo

 

There’s a special place in heaven with my Dad’s name on it. I have two older sisters—making quite an estrogen-filled household. Possibly attributed to this, or perhaps just to the person my father is, I never thought of my Dad as a typical, ass-kicking, Hulk-man. I grew up innocent and oblivious to the idea that some kids grow up in a household that value accessibility over interaction. When I mentioned in class one day that I grew up seeing my father cry (per most human beings) every time they yelled “move that bus” on Extreme Makeover Home Edition, I was not lying.

See, on the father, fatherhood, fathering scale, my Dad truly fathered my sisters and me. He didn’t just see that we had the financial means and appropriate insurance to support us when we were sick. He stayed up with us at night, got the antibiotics we needed at the store, and saw to it that we took them according to directions.

My sisters and I also grew up with a passion for dance. We each danced from the time we were three to the time we were eighteen. We didn’t skip a beat and neither did our father. As most mothers stared in adoration of their daughters, my father sat in his uniform and boots with his eyes glued to no screen but the two-way mirror peering into the dance studio where we learned the difference between first position and second.

And when it came time to write a—gasp—100 word essay in grade school about our hero, I wrote about my Dad. In was the exception to the rule, no doubt, but I didn’t know this. Call me innocent still today, but I didn’t know I was the exception to the rule any more then than I did last year. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not oblivious to a large number of kids who are raised without a present father or parents at all. But when I wrote about my Dad, the words surrounding him as a hero came easily. When I shared my paper with him after receiving it back from my teacher, I’ll never forget the moment he read it. He was sorting laundry and began crying for the first time I can remember. Even though he often told me how proud of me he was, I didn’t need to be told. He showed me.

My father was always and is always expected to do the same things as always. Love and support me unconditionally and teach me the “correct way to eat an Oreo.” Yes, he is absent a little more than he used to be. The reason for this increased absence is for no other reason except that college happened and we are physically more absent. But when it comes to fathering me, he couldn’t be more present.

I call my Dad every Monday and Wednesday when I walk to work at six in the morning before my ten hour shifts. I do this partly because hearing the voice of my father will always make me feel protected even if I am not. But I also do it because we are closer in our relationship than ever. Going off on my own has blessed me with the ability to truly understand all he has done for me to ensure I am a successful and independent adult. Although, I use the word independent very loosely; my parents make it extremely difficult to be emotionally independent.

So cheers to you, Dad. Cheers to the guy that will drive down to Athens in an instant if I need him to. Cheers to the man who is just as irreplaceable in the mind of my 10 year old self as he is in the mind of my 21 year old self. Love you forever & always.

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

Three's a Crowd

One thousand ninety five days later and my heart still aches. It’s a low, dull ache. The kind of ache you only notice when the chaos subsides and reality sets in. The kind of ache that isn’t enough to hurt but enough to constantly remind you it is still there. And that you’re still imperfect. That you’ve gone through something that once crippled your soul and consumed you with pain.

That chilling pain and lasting ache are what remains from the loss of my cousin. He left us three years ago today and the loss brings me to tears still today. I’ve found my own ways to honor him and stay true to the promises I whispered to him one thousands ninety three days ago. But there’s no way to sugarcoat the black hole that is grief and mourning. It sucks you in with no mercy. But if you just say a prayer, hold the ones still here physically, and look up, you can find a way out.

I remember holding his hand and talking to him in his last days. You see, it’s an unexplainable connection I have with him. Maybe it’s the fact he’s the closest family member in age I’ve ever had. Maybe it’s the shenanigans we used to get into when we were young. Or maybe it’s the idea that he has changed my life more than any single person on this earth.

I didn’t stand on stage moments after his passing to address my graduating class and move my tassel from one side to another for just myself. In fact, if I had only done it for myself I wouldn’t have done it at all. I didn’t come to college to chase my dreams just for my own benefit. And I will not stand on stage next year and address my graduating class of Ohio University for me and only me. I have done and will do these things for the both of us. I’ll do them for my old-souled cousin that never got to walk across that stage. I’ll walk down the aisle to the love of my life with the love of my cousin in my heart. I will be the parent I know he would have been. It’s been my promise to him. And it will be a promise I keep until the day I get to finally hug him and be the cousin he has been to me both on this earth and from above.

Love you, E.

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

My New Year's Resolution for You

If only I had a dollar for every weight loss commercial I have seen on TV since the new year started. Or perhaps, a cookie for every commercial. Wouldn’t that be ironic...

It amazes me that some associate a new year with weight loss or a “new you.” What if we lost a grudge, a friend that drains our energy, or the negativity in our life instead? The extra pound or two around your tummy doesn’t weigh nearly as heavily on you as the chip on your shoulder.

There’s no need for a new you. The old you is wise with experience, knowledge, and a past. The old you remembers the wild child that through heartbreak, disappointment, and beauty came out as a strong and stunning adult. Feel that soft thumping within your chest? That steady movement has felt your chest quake in laughter and jerk in sobs. That constant flutter has been gripped when you have been shocked, touched, and moved by life’s wonders. It has been spun by dance and lifted by reach.

 The old you is vintage—an original antique. Let your heart carry you through another year and your mind guide you to the love of yourself and others. Let your curiosity lift you to a new culture, experience, and person. And let the old you continue to find happiness and the constant fluttering of butterflies in your heart and a cautious gut-feeling in your just-the-right-sized tummy. This is my resolution for you.

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20

Introduction: 20 Lessons I've Learned at 20
Lesson One: Take advantage of the time you are responsible for no one but yourself
Lesson Two: No amount of inspirational quotes will comfort you quite like your mother can
Lesson Three: Counting calories doesn't help you count your blessings
Lesson Four: If you have a funny feeling, chances are you've found a phony
Lesson Five: Sob uncontrollably if you have to. Just make sure you have peanut butter...
Lesson Six: Never overuse "I'm sorry"
Lesson Seven: Never stop doing what removes you from the chaos
Lesson Eight: Life will place you exactly where you need to be
Lesson Nine: Look up
Lesson Ten: You have the pen that writes your life story
Lesson Eleven: Laugh at yourself
Lesson Twelve: Believe in that four letter word
Lesson Thirteen: You can learn the deepest knowledge from the youngest brains
Lesson Fourteen: If someone doesn't contribute to your life, pack your good memories and move the hell on
Lesson Fifteen: Don't make stress, make a plan
Lesson Sixteen: You're never in a boat alone
Lesson Seventeen: Take pride in your hometown
Lesson Eighteen: Make your own rules & follow them
Lesson Nineteen: Write a letter to yourself
Lesson Twenty: My purpose
The Purpose Behind The Series

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Conclusion

The Purpose Behind The Series

 

To think of what life has taught me in twenty years is like trying to win Monopoly or a dog chasing its tail. You can try to come to a concise conclusion. You'll go in circles for an hour without an end in sight.

 

But eventually you learn that you must enjoy the small victories. Because, you see, in life there isn't a way to artfully sum up what you have learned. You can take one lesson or one hundred lessons to explain what this life has taught you. Every pit and peak of our day, week, and year uncovers a lesson.

 

However, my twenty lessons don't attempt to put my life in a box. My intentions were not to create an end-all, be-all list of my personal victories after dark times.

 

My lessons are meant to scratch the surface of the meaning of my life. My hilariously awkward, quirky, sassy, loud, cozy crazy life. My goal was and is quite simple. I want you to know you aren't alone. That it is okay to be single. In fact, it should be celebrated. I want you to know it is okay to love and be loved. It is okay to miss home, move on, make your own rules, write your own story, laugh at yourself, sob like a baby and eat a double cheeseburger. You can even do all of those at the same person if you want. And it is okay.

 

This world is large but these lessons are small. Our hearts are in different places but our experiences are the same. We breathe the same air. We feel the same hurt. We feel the same love. Ask yourself why we shouldn't learn the same lessons. Because if we share what we know with the world, we may save someone from feeling that same pain it took to learn a hard lesson. Share your wisdom and in turn share your life.

 

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose



20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Twenty

20. My purpose.

 

 

It’s hard to fathom the idea that by simply being, we are serving a purpose. We may think we aimlessly go through the motions of our day with no bruises or surprises, highs or lows. But the fact you are you and no one else—existing, breathing, learning and living—you, love, are serving a purpose.

 

But we yearn for a bigger purpose in life. Rightfully, so, I might add. And some people search the entirety of their lives to fall short of finding the reason they were put on this earth.

 

However I know my purpose in life. And in the 20 amazing years I have been blessed to live—it is the most breathtaking, startling, profound lesson I have learned.

 

I, simply put, was placed here to reveal the love life brings us.

 

It sounds winding, overly simplistic, and who knows, maybe a bit arrogant.

 

But I know I am needed because of my heart, the courage I have to use it, and the talent I have to deliver it in words. Through my talent of writing, I am able to show others how much love life delivers to us every day, year, and lifetime. I am here to help others see love and find the importance in purpose.

 

So now it is time for me to reveal the love of others. I asked for family and friends to reveal the lessons they have learned in life. And this is what I learned:

 

"Never allow yourself to depend on another person." -Lauren

"The importance of family to get through the hard times. When something goes wrong they are just a phone call or hug away." -Megan

"There's no excuse for being a pessimist. This world is beautiful and the fact that we wake up every day should be enough to put a smile on your face.

The amount of stress you let in to your life is your decision. Deal with things the best you can then let them go. Think back to what you used to stress out about in high school and how insignificant those things seem now, that's how we'll view these situations when we're old and dying!

Whether it be work, school, or play keep a smile on your face and joy in your heart. That's how life was intended to be lived and any other emotion, although sometimes necessary, can take away from the potential of your day." -Micah

"Family is just that….family. Whether it is your natural born or extended. After marriage you should never learn to just “tolerate” your extended family. You need to open your heart and accept them as your own. You learn that they are there for you and support you just as much as your own. They become your own." -Craig

"I've learned, as cliche as it may sound, laughter is very often, if not always, the best medicine!" - Louis

Oh so many things...if you do or say something that makes another person smile, you have given them a gift." -Gail

“'You don’t like the person you’ve become? Then do something about it because no one’s going to do it or you.' This quote has taught me so much about my life." -Zach

"Quality over quantity in everything in life. Few friends who are true friends over tons of fake ones. Fewer possessions with meaning over many without need. I try to apply that rule anywhere I can and I think most of the time it makes people happier in life." -Bridget

We never know the minutes we have left on our time clock. The earlier we learn the reason we are here, the earlier we can discover the meaning of our lives and find comfort in the pits and peaks of our existence.

Lessons are permanent marks on our minds and hearts. They remind us of where we have been, where we are now, and where we will go in the future. They are a part of us- guiding, lighting, and calming.

It is and always will be...


it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Nineteen

19.      Write a letter to yourself.

I know it doesn't relate to the topic, but isn't my Grandpa the cutest?

I have loved to write from a young age. I was gifted my first journal at the age of eight and immediately started spilling the seat-gripping details of my insanely eventful life. These juicy entries usually began with the Little Debbie snack I sneaked for breakfast and ended with an argument I had with my sister. You’re begging for more, I know, but I have to get on with it.

 

So I continued to write at least weekly every year. I continued writing through middle school, high school, and continue to journal today. But one thing I have started doing over the past few years is something I am doing for a future me. You know, laying the foundation for a memory.

 

I began writing letters to the future me in recent years. I wrote one letter to myself to open the day of my wedding and one for my groom as well. Every year or so, I write to the Rachel kicking down doors and being the independent young professional I hope she will be. I write to the Rachel with a family and a home. I write to the Rachel receiving her Bachelor’s and being handed the most expensive piece of paper she will ever buy. I write to the Rachel who may be on her knees begging for strength.

 

Sometimes the lessons we learn in life haven’t happened yet. And as I begin to conclude this journey you have taken with me, I want you to know that. I have learned so many lessons before the age of 20. And I hope to learn many more before the first anniversary of my 29^th. But sometimes it helps to lay the groundwork for those new lessons to be built. Write a letter to the future you with big dreams and small realities. Write a letter to the future you facing the biggest change of your life. Write a letter to the future you that needs a little reminder of how far you’ve come. Because often the person we lose touch with the most is the one in the mirror staring back at us.

 

I will leave you with that before I get too sappy on you. That’s for lesson 20…

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Eighteen

18.   Make your own rules & follow them.

From a young age, I have always been quite opinionated. I credit my parents for giving me the moral compass and curiosity in order to freely develop my opinions. Teachers, however, rarely valued my young talent. It made me question them, their lessons, and sometimes, even their authority.

 

But now that I have nobody’s rules to follow but my own, I have created my own. I’m not talking deep, philosophical rules. I’m talking my own set of dating rules. And in case you were wondering, I’ve learned every single one of them the hard way…

 

So, here we go. My personal set of dating rules in order to prevent me from thinking it is acceptable to date someone who will ultimately end with a “you’re a great girl, but.”

 

DON’T DATE SOMEONE WHO:

1. Loves a certain animal more than he could love you.

2. Loves himself more than he could love you.

3. Thinks it is socially acceptable to wear makeup and more hair products than you.

4. Shows up on a first date in a blinged-out Ed Hardy shirt and alligator skin boots.

5. Shows up on a first date in a cut-off shirt with an animation of a boy peeing on anything.

6. Cries on a third date.

7. Thinks peach is the best color on him.

8. Carries an overnight bag bigger than yours.

9. Shows up on a blind date with hair as long as yours.

10. Begins communication as a direct message on Twitter.

11. Tickles you in a movie theater to strategically move you closer to him.

12. Uses the line “If you were a pirate, would you want your parrot on this shoulder or this shoulder?” as he puts his arm (not cleverly) behind you.

13. Hits on your friend. (Male friend, might I add.)

14. Tells you he could see himself living with his parents for as long as they will take him.

15. Has a celebrity crush on Kim Kardashian.

16. Eats a salad on a date while you reach for the burger.

17. Lists “getting swole” as one of his greatest passions.

18. Does donuts in the parking lot when picking you up on a first date.

19. Has watched The Notebook more times than you.

20. Is 27 and not ready to settle down.

21. Is known by your family as nobody other than “the sheep farmer.”

22. You have to call your family and warn them by saying “he’s really metrosexual but I swear he’s not gay.”

 

So, ladies and gents, there it is. Hopefully I made you chuckle, made you think, and more than likely, made you feel better about your own dating/relationship/marriage life.

And if you’re still reading this, you, my dear, get the most important lesson of all:

Never make a pact with yourself that you will never turn down a date offer. Unless you want to find yourself in a living room surrounded by your family while your brother-in-law asks your prospective date if he has any STD’s, it’s best to just use your discretion.

 

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

 

 

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Seventeen

17.      Take pride in your hometown.



 

I was born in a town that is the epitome of the intersection between city folk and Old McDonald. I went to a small farm school for my elementary education where you could name everyone in your grade. The “Ag” program started at a young age and our history was as solid as the bricks that built the school. The name was Hopewell and it created within its students what the name suggests—hope for a future with endless education and the wellness of mind from knowing the people around you would form the friendships you cherish forever.

 

As we grew into awkward brace-faced preteens with curious minds and Lisa Frank folders, we graduated D.A.R.E and went to middle school. The other elementary school in the district combined with mine to double our class size and in turn doubling our pool of boyfriend prospects. It was intimidating having these “city kids” march into recess with their Aeropostale baby T’s. But we stuck with what we knew and held hands through the change. We let in new friends but held tight to the old. They were our comfort, our past, and our home.

 

Soon there were no lines between one person’s past and another’s. We were the big dogs of the school with our boy-girl parties and our first kisses. We were too cool for dances and hell, come at us, we even wore mascara. We went to movies and held hands and (kind of) fell in love. We had couple songs to Gavin Degraw’s Chariot and made friendship bracelets.

 

Then we went to high school. We went from head honchos to little punks and we held tight through it all. We went through our first heartbreaks and low-points and maybe even failed a test. But the one thing we never lost was our grip. We knew where each other came from and we made sure we never lost sight of it. We whined there was nothing to do when we got our first taste of freedom at the sweet age of sixteen. Yet our lack of events made us appreciate the simple company of each other. We didn’t have IMAX theaters or teen clubs. We had movie rentals and Adornetto’s. We had bonfires and toasted marshmallows and sleepovers galore. We had game nights and lazy nights and gift exchanges.

 

And when we once again became the big dogs of the school—only this time with true loves and sisterhoods facing the biggest change of our lives—we prepared to say “see you later” with our hands, still, held tight.

 

I will forever be grateful for the place that taught me most of these lessons. Be grateful for the town that taught you how to love, how to fight— and how to be.

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Sixteen

16.      You’re never in a boat alone.

 

Unless the biggest issue in your life is not being able to conquer eating a dozen bananas while falling from the sky with no parachute handcuffed to a toaster oven, or some other unique situation, listen up. This may ease a fear or calm your nerves, even if it may be temporary.

 

Sometimes one of my favorite things about the person I have grown to be is also my least favorite attribute. I am independent to a point that sometimes hinders my ability to fully let people in. I have a big heart and everything, but after learning lesson four I have come to know it is better to be alone than to be in the company of someone who personally drives you to misery.

 

The formulation above has set me up to spend a decent amount of time alone. Now before you start to go all puppy-eyes on me, you must know that I thoroughly enjoy being by myself. I always have. To me, it is a sign of maturity and satisfaction with the person you are. But the point is that even when we are alone, we are never without the comfort of knowing someone is facing a similar trial or obstacle.

 

And maybe the situation you’re in is mind-numbing or physical and emotionally draining. But the peace of mind in knowing you aren’t the only one to be facing the hazy future in a boat with one paddle can be comforting. You aren’t the first or only person to be facing financial worries. You aren’t the first and you won’t be the last one who doesn’t know if you made the right decision or who is taking your life down the right river. But just know when you’re in that boat and you seem lost and lonely, know there will always be someone paddling behind you. Even if that person is me eating a dozen bananas while falling from the sky with no parachute handcuffed to a toaster oven…

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Fifteen

15. Don't make stress, make a plan

 

 

So if you never took my advice way back in the beginning of this journey, you may still have inspirational quotes as the background on your phone. Which, if that’s what gets your mind at ease or your motivation running, be my guest. But for today’s purposes, let’s focus on the stress we have created in our lives that encouraged us to seek inspirational quotes on Pinterest in the first place.

 

Some of you may have read over the “stress we have created in our lives” part above and turned red. Some of you may have forgotten how you stumbled upon this inspirational pile of randomness and were incoherent when you read it. But if I made you mad by stating it that way, let me explain.

 

See, life hands us some unfortunate circumstances sometimes. Whether it be short-term or long-term, navigating the rain puddles and detours in our journey can prove to be difficult. It is natural for us to worry about how we are going to handle the obstacle or stress over what the next challenge will be.

 

But if we took the time we spent worrying and stressing and used it to draft a plan, imagine how much happier we would be. I once said quite some time ago that every moment spent worrying can be spent living. I would like to take a step further and say sometimes those moments spent worrying need to be spent strategizing as to how you can live more happily. It sounds mathematical and therefore foreign to me, but it is true.

 

Stop stressing and start planning. As a wise little girl once told me, “when life hands you lemons, you just gotta add sugar.” Make a plan as to how you’re going to add your sugar, and work it out. Stress is toxic—sugar is delicious.

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Fourteen

14.      If someone doesn’t contribute to your life, pack your good memories and move the hell on.

 

 

As a child, I wasn’t the easiest to get along with. I was bossy, challenging, and overly inquisitive. I thought it was my personal duty to make sure that everyone knew their place in my life. For some, this was the beginning of longtime friendships. But for others, it may have meant a swift kick to the balls. No, seriously. I once did just that to a boy on the playground…

 

Sound harsh? It was. This attitude set me up for some hard-hitting lessons growing up. Though, the small trace of this attitude has served me right in some ways as well.

 

At what point do we lose sight of this mindset? If you have a gut feeling about someone, or they do you wrong, don’t look in the rearview mirror as you remove them from your life. Remember the good memories—there was a reason why they were in your life at one point. They served a purpose in your life for a few weeks or maybe a few decades. But be thoughtful of the bad memories. It is easy to miss someone for the wonderful time you spent with him or her. But it takes strength and confidence in your intuition and wisdom earned to remember how they did you wrong.

 

The goals you have in mind and the happiness you seek in life are far more important than letting a black hole in your life take it from you. It may hurt more than you think you can physically handle. But when you aren’t losing energy to someone unworthy of your relentless thoughts, you’ll be surprised at how beautiful life can be.

 

Cut the ties that bind you to the weight on your back. Knee the person where it counts if you need to. (Maybe more figuratively speaking…) You are more beautiful when you are surrounded by people who shed light on your beauty rather than those who cast shadows on it.

 

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Thirteen

13.      You can learn the deepest knowledge from the youngest brains.

I’ll never forget it.

 

I had just found out that my sister, brother-in-law and two little angels would be moving two states away.

 

It was as if I could feel my heart hesitate in rhythm and slow to a dull ache. Those little girls were my escape and their parents my backrest. They took the dreariness and pressure away from my life. And here they were being taken away from me.

 

Then a few weeks later I was lying in bed next to my little niece and mini-me. Her name is Faith and she gives me what her name suggests. There I was, lying next to her, tears streaming down my face and disappearing into my pillow. I thought she was asleep until she opened her big hazel eyes and stared right through my teary ones. I’ll never forget this three-year-old little girl holding me as she wiped my tears and told me we would always be together.

 

I probably only slept a few hours that night. Half because she is quite violent in her sleep and half because my heart and head couldn’t fathom a world without them close.

 

But that little girl taught me a huge lesson. Sometimes we let the lemons life hands us spoil instead of strategizing ways to make them sweeter. I think it is a result of letting life taint us bit-by-bit. Because our youth haven’t experienced let downs in any form more intense than the refusal to eat ice cream for dinner, they don’t let setbacks slam the brakes on their lives.

 

Ask the little ones in your life some deep questions. I guarantee you’ll find every answer you’ve never searched for and some comfort, too. They read through your tough exterior walls you have built to “protect them.” See, they haven’t had a reason to build them unless they’re made of Legos and chicken nuggets.

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Twelve

12.      Believe in that four letter word.

 

 

As a child, I was fortunate enough to see my parents happily married. Of course, as a child, I didn’t see myself as fortunate. I saw it as gross and repulsive that the two people that diapered me at one time, actually, like, ya know, kissed and stuff. The thought makes you shudder when you’re young. I mean, hello! Cooties!

 

But then I got older, and learned that I was actually quite blessed to have two parents that loved each other. Granted, I skipped a large chunk of time in this story. There was the stage I thought my parents were as smart as that Miss South Carolina Teen contestant and the stage that I thought I was smarter than them. But now that I’ve lived two decades, I can say that all I hope and pray for is to find a love that withstands the test of time that they have.

Sometimes I feel the judgment when I still cry at the end of every predictable romance movie. Not because it’s another Jennifer Aniston rom-com and everyone including the husband half asleep in the theater knows the ending. But mainly because my friends and family know I have been on some of the most painstaking dates and have survived incredibly numbing heartbreaks. I have heard the corny pick-up lines and the witnessed the emotional roller coasters. Yet I still have every bit of faith in love.

A couple of years ago I wrote a letter to the future me to open on my wedding day. I wrote one for the lucky groom, too. I don’t know who I will be or who he will be. But I do know that on that day every tear shed during those movies will be worth it. I will no longer cry because that love is what I’m searching for—I’ll cry because it’s everything I’ve found. I will know that the way my parents still look at each other will be my future. And you better believe that the groom will have one heck of a tolerance for quirkiness and sassy oddballs.

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose

20 Lessons I've Learned at 20: Lesson Eleven

11.     Laugh at yourself.

 

Most of my lessons have been years in the making. I have lived through multiple episodes of the same plot resulting in the same lesson. (I’m hard headed). But this lesson came as an epiphany. Let me set the scene for you.

 

I have been planning the largest canned food drive at my beloved Ohio University. The logistics of this event are similar to fixing the haircut we all tried to give ourselves when we were three. You can keep trimming away the details, but there will always be those inevitable loose ends. I won’t bore you with more, but let’s just say on this particular day, I had lifted well over 1,300 canned foods, spilled horrid mushroom soup down my front, and accidentally punched a cabinet. I felt like the bird in that Windex commercial that is tricked into thinking the glass door is actually an open window.

 

So after slamming into my day and sliding down the window in slow motion, I hit the ground. I walked into my apartment, took my pants off, and made hot dogs. I turned on Law & Order SVU and dug into my mustard covered feast. It was two hot dogs in that I put down my fork and just started giggling at myself. My giggles turned to belly laughs and my belly laughs turned into full-on, teary-eyed cackling. At this point, the tears were rolling down my cheeks and it was literally becoming difficult to take a deep breath…

 

I mean, come on! Here I am sitting in my living room with no pants on eating bun-less hot dogs watching Detective Benson do her thing. I had a hundred things I should have been doing. But I wasn’t worried about them. My biggest concern was my roommate walking in and checking me into a mental institution.

 

We’ve all had these moments. You may have had pants on in yours. You may have been 20 feet below sea level. Or have just realized your fly was unzipped for the entirety of your day. But either way, enjoy that moment of just doing as you feel and having the ability to realize sometimes you’re an absolute oddball. After all, if all of us are oddballs, then really none of us are odd at all...  

 

 

it’s an outlet. it’s an inspiration. it’s a gift. it’s a purpose