14 things that I adore:

1. Weather:

                                                   

The gust of wind as it lifts you off your feet.

The gentle fall of a flake as snow comes into being.

The pounding touch of rain as it claims your senses and ensnares your soul.

2. Imagination. Dreams:

Our ability to see beyond the boundaries of reason - the rules set in place by mankind. To look into the mind and unlock its secrets. It's a scary thing, filled with worlds of the unknown, waiting to be born. A scary, but altogether extraordinary thing.

3. Books:

4. More specifically - Stories:

If I could meet every soul on this planet I would. Past, present, future...Meet them and speak with them. Be best friends with them - just to hear their story. 

And yes, even Hitler.

Everyone has something spectacular within them - something completely their own. Even if spectacularly horrible - it's still something worth acknowledgement. The chance to see what lies within each human soul...that's what I would adore.

5. In a different genre of specification - Words:
I adore words.
In stories, in books, in film, in speech, in life...
When strung together by the simplest of threads, they can pierce through the human heart.

6. Music:

Something so extraordinary, it speaks to our entire being; touching the hearts of every living thing.
I do not see Music as our universal language, nor even a universal feeling...but rather a sort of understanding we share: an understanding in its beauty and power.
We may all react to a sound, a medley, a tune... but not in the same way. What's powerful and moving to one may be dreadfully dull to another. And yet...there's hardly a soul alive that does not recognize it's importance and ability to change a life - perhaps even forever.

7. Smiles, Tears and Laughter:

A child's laugh. A toothless grin. A drop of joy as it trickles away. Even the thickest of souls can be torn to withering shreds by a sentence of tears, a chorus of laughter and a slight curve of the lips.

8. Love:

I don't know much about love, for I've only experienced a chapter in the book, but someday I will have begun to live it all - and I look forward to the day that new life arrives. For now, I will simply live in what I have been given to enjoy.

9. Prayer:

The chance to speak with the ultimate giver of Love.

10. Travel:

The one thing I would be happy spending the rest of my life doing. In this instance - pictures definitely speak louder than words.

11. The World:

So much to see, so much to offer, so much to experience. I don't think a single life is enough to explore it all, but luckily we've been surrounded by thousands who have experienced the parts we cannot. Which is another reason why I love books and stories so much.

12. The Moon:

For a very long time, I was terrified of space.
Eternity. The vast unknown. Never ending skies...the idea of continuing on and on forever is one that has scared me often.
And yet...recently, very recently in fact, I've begun to view life through a new lens. A more... permanent one: one so life altering that it has not only turned this fear upside down, but placed within me an undying desire - one I'm afraid may lead me to exciting and new discoveries.
And yes...I'm afraid.
(Sorry if that made no sense. I do that often...)

13. The Stars:

Twinkling lights. The windows to the universe. Beauty beyond beauty...words cannot explain...

14. The Never-ending Skies:

One word. Phenomenal.

There was an event that occurred today in church, during our Sunday School class. A man I know and respect (in fact, one of the greatest men I know) gave a simply remark that caused offense in another. It was something small, a comment to which most would simply laugh or push aside. However, this particular man took great offense – storming out of the room, only to reenter at classes end to grab his companion and leave once more, this time less reserved in his emotion. He allowed his anger to release some irritated and troubling words, placing blame where it did not lie. It was clear that the gentlemen’s words with whom he had taken offense was in no way responsible or to blame for the explosive event. Yes, such things are troubling to watch, and guilt is usually is a side effect when we cause another pain, but we cannot control the actions (or reactions) of others. There was most certainly underlying doubts and concerns that had caused this particular man grief before. As his shouts died with his growing distance to the church, a disconcerted silence fell in the room, but order quickly ensued and 3^rd hour commenced.

Yet my mind was unsettled. I could not understand why such an event would trouble me so. After all, this man had no direct relation to me. His offense was taken from the words of another, his anger not directed openly toward me. But this singular event was causing me much pause – filling my thoughts entirely, so much so that I had to remind myself to take part in current conversation throughout the day.

Later, when left to my thoughts, I had the opportunity to examine them more closely – so as to find the cause of my distress. There I found the man – his hurt face before mine – and I felt the strings in my heart break once again as I heard his words ring again through my mind; “I’m never coming back! Never!”

Loss of faith - from a small, jesting remark. At first I may have been a little shocked, a little offended that he would blame such an innocent quip for his doubt and disbelief, but as my emotions calmed I began to examine my suppositions; turning away from assumptions and assessments, and turning instead to heartfelt thought and prayer. A few simple answers followed:

Faith is a fragile thing. If not properly tried and tested, it cannot grow. Likewise, however, if we do not properly cared for and nourish our faith, it can and will break at the seams. It has taken me 19 1/2 years to build up the testimony I have today, and even mine is not perfected. There will be more events, more trials, more ‘jests’ that will someday try my faith in the Gospel, even my faith in my fellowmen. If I am not properly preparing every moment I can, I too may fall to blame and retreat.

I do not know this man well enough to know what led to and from this incident. I do not know him well enough to judge him at all from this event. All I know is of God’s love. I know that it is extended to all – even this hurt and upset man, the very same man who stood before the congregation a week prior and bore testimony that we should “Love everyone.”

That is enough for me – enough to hope and pray that like all of us, he did not give up when broken. We all will break, probably multiple times throughout our lives. And we all can be put together again, through the strength and guidance of our Heavenly Father and the Atoning sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ.

However troubling today’s events were, I am grateful. It caused emotions to rise within me, emotion of grief, emotion of sorrow, emotion of doubt…It was an opportunity give to me by the Lord to find my own pin-pricked holes in my faith; to find them and fill them before a straw of upset or disbelief could bring width to my fears.

But most of all, I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves me, and who loves us all, and for his Son, Jesus Christ, and the sacrifice he made for me – the Atoning sacrifice that allows me to rise again when I fall.

♫♪♫

I’ve been watching a lot of youtube videos recently – specifically ones of people singing. For instance – today I picked popular songs, such as Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” or Demi Lovato’s new “Skyscraper” single, and typed the titles into the search box. Then I’d click on random covers people have done and listen to them back to back. It’s been amazing really – hearing such unique voices from all over the globe sing the same tune, same words, some notes…and yet the videos were so different and so personal to each individual singing! Each one made me happy to be alive. I saw so many beautiful souls in each of those video – unique individuals from all over the world – and instantly I wanted to befriend all of them. What’s Connie’s story? Where did David learn to sing like that? Has Hannah ever had lessons? Who is Emma singing to? She must care for them a lot. I wonder why Tyler picked that song – and what does Stephen want to be when he grows up? Is he going to be a doctor, or save lives through song?

Music is so powerful. It doesn’t matter where you are, how you sing, what style you bring to your voice – music is music and it always touches a part of your soul that nothing else can.

People say it’s the universal language, but I don’t think so. I don’t even think music can be described as a universal feeling. That suggests that a medley or song means roughly the same thing to everyone. We all speak and feel in different ways; Think, dream, imagine, create, learn, explore, experience, understand, love…we hold each of these in different esteems, use them in different atmospheres, react to them in different means…

And yet – it can unite us like almost nothing else.

If that’s not magic, I don’t know what is.

extraordinary

I've always found 'extraordinary' to be a funny word. It doesn't seem like it should mean what it means, but then again that's the majority of the English language. Words a funny little conundrums, aren't they? And yet I love them. Hence my major.

I wonder if anyone else out there thinks or feels or acts the way I do? I don't mean in the general sense, because we all have things in common with each other. I mean - another human being who is just like me. Someone who likes the same things I like, someone who thinks the same way I think, who loves the way I love...We're all so unique, I doubt there is a single person exactly like another, and yet - I've never met someone with whom I cannot relate in someway. Most I can even connect with in almost every way, but there's always something that sets them apart. Something that makes them unique or different.
It's beautiful really, how we can be so similar yet so exceptionally diverse.

It's extraordinary :)