Life.

So I was inspired by reading a friends new blog to update my own.. :)

Christmas is fast approaching, bringing with it the turn of the new year.

twentyten. 2010.

wow.

Seems like only a few years ago we were fighting the turn of the new millennium, trying to Y2K-proof our lives. That was 10 years ago.

So today I challenge you to think about the following.

What have you done in those 10 years?

Don't say I've eaten, slept, gone to work.

What have you really done to benefit your life or the lives of those around you?

Takes a bit of thinking huh?

10 years.

thats 3653 days.

Its more than half my life.

I'd like to say I'd saved peoples lives in a heroic event, abolished poverty, donated thousands to charities, met the man of my dreams and bought a fantastic car...

..but I haven't done any of those.

What I have done is graduated from high school, got into the university degree of my dreams, coached 3 softball teams, had a knee reconstruction and begun building great foundations in a new church. =]

What have you done?

Now I'd like to say that the past 10 years doing all those things have been easy and my life has been sunshine, rainbows and lolly pops.

But however this is not the case.

Work through your circumstances.

It might seem to you that the John Smith next door has it so easy and gets everything he wants, but, as far as i've experienced in my life, there is always more than meets the eye.

If you don't like something, be the one to help change it.

If everything is left for everyone else to do, whos going to do it?

Start acting to empower others, you'll be surprised at what you can achieve.

What are you going to change so that the next 10 years achieve above and beyond what the last 10 have?

=)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So my other thought of the day is about Christmas.

I was driving down the street last night and people already have their houses covered in christmas lights. This made me smile.

This afternoon I helped my mum put up the Christmas tree.

Christmas is my favorite time of year.

Not because of all the presents.

But because it is such a cheerful time of year, a time where we all have the opportunity to bless others.

For some, however, Christmas is not a happy time. Money is stretched tight, families are put under stress and people end up imploding.

So I challenge you.

Who can you bless this Christmas?

It might be a neighbor, a friend, a stranger, but find someone you can reach out to and make the christmas season a bit brighter.

If everyone blessed one person, there'd be an awful lot of joy spread around.

=]

I can't think of an inspirational quote or smart saying to end my blog today.

The End.

A softball game, a knee reconstruction, a little bit of faith, and some amazing unexpected friends :)

February 2009. Bottom of the last inning. Standing on 1st. Ball is hit! RUN TO SECOND...Ball is caught... oh dear... turn around to go back to one....defs not good. 

So I ended up with a torn ACL in my right knee. Ouchies.

Not the best thing ive done recently... 

Fast forward to July and im 2 weeks post op. Walking around and today getting the okay to drive again. In this time I have learnt an incredible amount of things, some of which I thought I would share.

=]

Needing knee surgery was tough for me. I worked since I was 11 years old to get to the point where I would be the first string pitcher in the rep team ( or at least get given a decent go) and be at a point where I would go to state camp and trial for NSW, even just for the experience.

Ruining my knee ruined these dreams, seeing my last year of u19s spent bat girling and fetching things for other players. Not that I minded these jobs, I just would have much rathered being out there on the field giving it my all. 

Although, this year has been interesting to say the least. I am so grateful for the things I have experienced, building me into a stronger and more experienced young woman.

A little bit of faith can go a long way. Before the entire knee incident, I attended church and youth, and loved it to bits. I jumped around with all the other crazy teenage kids, sometimes helping out selling drinks and chips, but mostly causing a bit of rukus and having fun.

After hurting my knee (and subsequently realizing I couldnt jump around in the mosh for a very long time) I began helping out with graphics. I began learning new skills and getting involved in serving. Over the past 6 months I have grown not only in technical skills, but in my love for serving and for God and church. 

I have planted myself into a place where there are so many people to chat to, hang out with and support each other. =]

During this time however, I did question why on earth I had to ruin my knee. Why did I work for 7 years for something and have it end up like this. Why were my dreams squashed through one simple incident. Why would God let it end up like this!!

If I hadn't hurt my knee, I wouldn't have got involved in church so much and had the experiences that I have. I wouldn't have built the friendships that I have, and I wouldn't be the same person I am today. I had to trust, and have faith that there was a greater purpose.

I was talking to a friend the other day, questioning why it had to happen like this. Surely there was some other way for God to get me to do the things I was meant to or tell me to get involved in things i have. Why did it have to happen like this? Its so painful! Her response? maybe you weren't listening?

Oh......yeah.......that too........

So my point for today. 

Stop and listen once in a while. Don't get so caught up in your circumstances that you don't have time to stop and listen, to whatever you may need to. Listen to God. Listen to your heart. Listen to your trusted friends. Listen to other people's advice. Just listen. 

and once you have listened. Take the time to reflect on situations. Ask yourself if what you are doing is building you up or pulling you down. If its pulling you down... maybe its time to let it go.

The next thing I have discovered over the past few weeks is about friends.

Unfortunately I have come to realize, that sometimes when you need them most, the friends you thought you could count on, just don't show up. 

Friends can come from the people and places that you least expected them to.

In my recovery I have been surprised by a couple of the most amazing people. I wont name them. but im guessing if they read this they will soon work it out.

I met 2 people in recent months who I have hung out with a bit, but weren't heaps close buddies with, I just hadn't known them long enough to develop that relationship.

I was amazingly surprised by their kindness in visiting me, talking with me and making my recovery that bit more interesting and exciting. Doing more than they had to to make sure I was okay. =] They are beyond awesome. I love them :)

So what i learnt from this? Friends are AWESOME. but other than that..

don't limit your friendships. Before now, with one of the friends I had subconsciously put a limit on our friendship. Having the mentality. She is heaps older than me. Theres no way we could be like friends friends, i just cant see it happening. Shes awesome and so entirely energetic and full of fun... but i just cant see it. I'm too young. She won't like me. She probably thinks im weird...I know other people that have done the same thing. blocking themselves off from opportunity and sometimes not even realizing it. 

Give people a chance to get to know you. Give yourself a chance to get to know others.

People will surprise you. Both in good ways and bad.

I have been surprised by another friend I have known for a while, who also came and visited me. Its crazy how things can turn out SO DIFFERENTLY from how you thought. Give God a chance to surprise you, and he will.

Lastly,

appreciate the things you have. In the blink of an eye they could be gone.

Love the little things. 

Embrace the good and the bad

learn from the things you do

there are so many opportunities awaiting us in the world.

Oh, and finally. I am now 18 :D

but I have learnt that you don't have to fit into the stereotypes society gives you.

No I DIDNT drink on my birthday

No I have not gone out and got smashed for the sake of it

No I haven't been out partying till all hours

No I dont plan on it.

I have a greater purpose in my life

There is so much more than alcohol, drinking, parties and the rest.

Society may call me a loser, a nerd, wasting my life away, not getting out and "enjoying" my life.

But i can tell you.

I am enjoying it quite fine as I am thanks

=]

The people who want to change the world DO.

1000 + minutes on a train...

So as some of you may know I have just started a bachelor of Design Computing at the University of Sydney :D Whooooo.

Yes it is a fair bit of work. Yes i'm exhausted. but YES I am enjoying it.... mostly...

So the most appropriate method of travel to Uni (especially with my silly knee), is by train. Our 3rd week of uni is only half over and already I have spent upwards of 1000 minutes on a train. 20 train trips in 2 and a bit weeks....excellent...

Sticky, squashy, crazy peak hour trains with 1000000000 other people all trying to cram into a single carriage.

You know what annoys me? People on peak hour trains who purposely sit on the outside seat of a 3 seater and just glare/stare at you if you walk past. Greedy much? Then, in contrast you have the overly sharing people who decide to practically sit on you because they thought they could squish themselves into 10cm of seat space. I HATE TRAINS. lol.

But anyway, so far I have come across numerous interesting characters on my train trips, some of which I thought I would share with you.

1. 95 year old lady - one morning I was travelling to Redfern as usual, minding my own business when across the aisle from me an Asian lady stood up to let an elderly woman sit in the middle seat (one of the nice people who actually SHARE their seat space). They began to strike up a conversation and the elderly woman revealed she was 95 years old! For starters, her physical condition to be able to catch public transport fairly easily was impressive, but there was a liveliness about her that was a sharp contrast to the other dull grumbling passengers.
She began to talk about her week...and this lady had a more impressive social life than me!! She had been out to the movies, out dancing, lunch with friends, doing something new and exciting each day. This got me thinking.... why can't everyone have the same spirit and enthusiasm as this lady? There were passengers on the train much much younger than her that seemed so bored and complacent with life, when really they should have been oozing energy!
So challenge number one: Be enthusiastic about all you do.

The lady then began talking about some of her experiences in her life, she had been to the great wall of China and many other amazing places around the world. How awesome would it be to b able to look back on your life as this lady was doing and be able to have such a wealth of experience!

The other thing that struck me about this woman was how hard she had worked for what she had. She had lived through war and the depression, seen amazing changes in technology, and encountered countless people and environments. However, the most poinient thing she talked about was going to university. Back when she was younger, there was no where near the opportunities we have now. She worked long and hard all day, and went to Uni at night to try and become a teacher. That was the only way she could get a higher education.
We complain that we have too many assignments and not enough time and we have to get up early to catch the train. She walked. Worked a full days work. THEN went to University and did it all again in the morning. Could you imagine doing a full days work and then doing a full day of uni... in the one day!! I doubt you would find someone in this day and age that would even consider this a possibility.
challenge 2: Be grateful for what you have. There are SO many things we take for granted. Be thankful for the things you have, no matter how little they may be.

My hat goes off to this lady, who's only complaint with life, was that at the age of 95 she found she didn't have the energy she used to and was frequently tired. wow. If my only complaint at 95 was that I was a bit tired, I think I would be pretty happy. Use your time while you have it. Take every moment as it comes. Don't waste your time grumbling and complaining .. smile :)


2. Young boy on his first train ride - On another 50 minute trip to Redfern station I had the pleasure of being accompanied in my carriage by a young mother and her son, probably only 2-3yrs old, who was on his first train trip. The bewilderment of this young child put a smile on my face, as even the smallest detail caught his attention. He was ecstatic when he was allowed to sit up on the big seat next to mum, taking in all of the wonderful things around him.
A quote from Randy Pausch's book The Last Lecture came to mind..."Never lose the child-like wonder" If only we could see things from a child's point of view. With innocence and curiosity, my train trip became that little bit more exciting.
challenge 3: See the exciting side of something, retain that lingering bit of childhood wonder.


3. The really tall man and the really short woman - With no intention of being rude or judgemental, my train trip home yesterday let to the encountering of two different people. On one side of me there was a lady who barely came up to my shoulder. Standing next to her I began to feel tall and confident.
However, on the other side of me there was a man, or should I say teen, whose head would have been max 5cm from the roof of the carriage. He was taller than the door by far, I was lucky to have come up to his shoulders. Standing next to him i felt small, putting me into my place.

This led me to the point of perspective. Standing next to these two people I was still the same person, still the same height, still the same age. However, the height of these people gave me a different perspective on my surroundings all together.
Challenge 4: Allow yourself to look at/experience things from a different perspective. Climb a tree, lay in some grass (yes onacloV- descomp lecturer who told us to look at different perspectives for photography), look at something from an angle you aren't used to. You never know. You might suprise yourself.


4. The over-enthusiastic train station announcer - You know the driver person on a train that announces the next station? e.g. "This is a cronulla service, next stop hurstville." Well the other day on the way home, the station announcer was over-enthusiastic. Announcing the stations like he was announcing something at a carnival. Some of us began to giggle at how hilarious this sounded, another passenger commenting to me 'i wish i had some of what he's got', which got me thinking. Why can't we put a little bit of enthusiasm into the boring and mundane parts of life. Sure this guy sounded pretty hilarious, but I bet he was having fun, and was bringing a smile to some otherwise dull faces. :)
challenge 5: Approach something with enthusiasm. Anything, it doesn't matter. Give something you normally do out of routine some excitement, some sparkle. You may even have a little fun. :p



Today I leave you with one of the good old graffiti/scribbled out signs commonly seen on trains (no i don't support damaging public property... but it is pretty funny :p )

"At night, rave near the guards carriage, naked with a blue light"
*giggle*

or.... on a more inspirational/serious note, a quote I found when researching for uni...
"The world is but a canvas to the imagination" - Henry David Thoreau.

=]

Much love.
Nadine.