Planning for Bread and Enjoying the Lilies

When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other. ~Chinese Proverb



This is where I get to attend school!

So as I’m preparing my course track plan for the next two years, I realize that with my major – Print Journalism – and two minors of choice – TESOL and World Dance – it’s not looking promising to be able to fit all the required classes into four semesters. Maybe if I fill my summers with classes, or take more hours during the fall/winter semesters…I could move this class around here and leave room for two dance classes in here…ugh! And then the last little piece of the insight puzzle falls into place – I’m done rushing through life. I’m out of my “let’s AP out of half of college so I can rush through and get on with…um, something” mentality. Being here at BYU and realizing all the opportunities this school actually offers is helping me to understand that I really enjoy the stage of life I’m in. I love that Print Journalism requires an internship (hmmm…I’m thinking, New York? Rome?), as does my TESOL minor (what better place to intern teaching English than my "home", Japan?!). While these things sound amazing, of course I’m going to use good wisdom and bounce all things off my family and my Heavenly Father, but I’m not going to assume “no” by guilt anymore. And no more being manipulated by people. Heavenly Father wants us to have beautiful, happy lives – lives lived to the fullest, since this is the fullness of times – and to express our talents. I also love being able to wear high heels (I’m retiring loafers for a while – I’ve got my senior years to wear those!), and to go out for a sugar rush of 7-Eleven slurpies at 2 A.M. and still look dang good in a swim suit. I love being so young and having the “world as my oyster” as Sister Robinson once put it. What will I do with my life? Hopefully much, and hopefully much that carries great weight in my own life and in the lives of others. I’ll be 21 in four months, and of course I’m considering the mission again. I will graduate from BYU having learned much in the classroom and much about myself, and will fall madly in love and have a delightful marriage that will be every bit as wonderful as my husband and I want it to be. But those things will happen when the time is right, and I’m in no rush and no delay. Things will work out and fall into place at the right time like they always do – in my life, at least.

Oh, and have I mentioned that I love Provo’s social life? I pretty much am a keep-to-selfer – I’m completely satisfied with reading a book on the couch for Friday night action. But since I’ve been here I have also been out in the wee morning hours engaged in a number of wholesome activities, namely Ice Blocking (Click for definition), nestling in the mountains to watch DVDs via-laptop under the stars, and shedding my white girl moves for some Salsa skills. Oh P.S., I was reprimanded for wanting to snap my fingers and say “Ole.” Apparently that’s Spain, not Mexico. Tomāto, tomăto to my so not P.C. self.

And since my scriptures here will basically be another textbook, I decided to invest in a new set since my old ones were – literally (no pun intended) – falling apart. Genuine leather, blue with silver-lined pages, and engraved.

Sorry but I thought this was hilarious!

Things are great. This fall I'll be taking Ballet, News Writing, Book of Mormon, World Dance, Western Humanities, Strengthening Marriage & Family, Technical Communication, and Career Exploration. Life can be a little mundane as I search for hours on the Student Employment site, but lately I often find myself being so grateful for all things beautiful. Dance, art, good literature, and morning runs in the canyon with my brother. In the words of John Muir: Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.

Check out the size of this thing! He and his brother chill outside our apartment at night!