The fortune cookie

Today my friends were unable to join me at the gym, so I decided to go to the closest one to me which we normally don't attend because it's like one big high school reunion and frankly the last thing we want to see when we're sweating like hogs is fake people. But since it was kind of late and I was also tired, I really didn't care if I ran into anyone.

Thankfully I didn't see any familiar faces, but as I was prepping my elliptical machine, I noticed a little piece of paper right smack in front of me.

It was a fortune cookie paper.

Unfortunately there was no cookie, but as I read it I couldn't help but look up and chuckle... Oh Universe I see you too...

It read, "Never fear! The end of something marks the start of something new."

As if that wasn't enough confirmation that things are and will fall into place as they should, when I flipped the back, it said, "learn Chinese" and the word was "to wait" - pronounced "deng". Really?!

Deng is right. Waiting sucks. But being reassured in little ways like this helps me to not stop believing in the choices I'm making and hold on to that feeling that soon enough I will have the desires of my heart.. But first I must learn to "deng" patiently. :)

Thankful Thursdays: Taking Chances

This weekend I went to Rapids water park where I came face to face with their ride called the Black Thunder.

I must admit I am a little bit afraid of heights so as I climbed the set of stairs whose final destination seemed to be the clouds, I couldn't help but get a little weak in the knees.

When I finally reached the top I was no longer consumed by the fear of the height, but rather was now feeling weak in the pit of the stomach as I glanced at the pitch black toboggan and its deep drop that I was about to face.

I knew there was no way I would go back the way that I came because it meant going down the stairs and staring at the abyss below, so down the pitch black tube it was.

The anticipation had me shaking in my flip flops and I was truly scared as my heart continued to race 1000 beats per minute. I kept thinking, "What the heck did I get myself into?"

As the sun-kissed life guard pushed us closer to the edge, I grabbed on to the small security harnesses on the sides of the raft, for dear life and then after one final push there we went.

We were twisting, turning, screaming, but halfway down I began to have fun, and enjoy the ride. I had no idea where we were going or what was going to happen next but I was having a blast!

As we approached the end, I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, but by then it didn't matter. I was thrilled that I took the chance to try something new and face my fears.

It was then that it dawned on me, sometimes we let fear hold us back from making changes or taking chances, but when you get the courage to follow your heart, it turns out there was nothing to fear after all.

"Most of our days are spent in fear of heartaches, but when faced with the inevitable we suddenly realize that we are much stronger than we thought we’d be. So don’t fear but rather live freely and enjoy the essence of life’s beauty in all that you do.... Live, Laugh, Cry, Dream, and Love without condition."--- me

Thankful Thursdays: God, the Universe & Google Earth

Think of how small we are compared to the universe, then you will realize the true size of your problems...

I never get tired of saying that. It's simply the truth. If you don't believe me try looking up your location on google earth and you'll see all the layers the satellite has to infiltrate before it can get to you.

The good news is God is like google earth and can zoom into your location anywhere in the world if you want him to.

So wake up, take a deep breath, and inhale life! It is good and something will give! Just be patient!

Love Lesson #1: Have you...

When you meet real love, or what you define at this point in time as real love because it's the greatest love you've known thus far, it should be the minimum you're willing to settle for in the future...

If you have never been treated like royalty, had the door opened for you, laid next to each other hearing your hearts beat to the same rhythm, speak to each other without words, only with your eyes, then perhaps you have not experienced real love yet...

If you knew exactly when they were thinking of you, because you felt it and vice versa, if they made you want to be the best you've ever been, or reminded you of who you once were and brought out all those feeling every time you were together, then perhaps you have loved...

If you haven't cried yourself to sleep after finally being able to breathe again, in the times when your love was being tried, or counted the petals of a flower hoping this one was created in your favor to confirm what you already knew, then perhaps you haven't loved...

If distance, time nor circumstances allows you to forget them. If every star in the sky is a reflection of their name. If you find yourself wishing upon a full moon, that wherever they may be, that same moon reminds them of you, even if just for a moment, then perhaps you have loved...

If you didn't give it your all, or take risks driven by uncertainty, not knowing what would happen, only that it felt right to the two of you. If you gave up on the best thing you've ever known as a result of fear or because being with someone else would make it easier, then maybe you never loved at all...

Perhaps I don't know what love is either, or perhaps I loved too much. Who am I to say you haven't loved. But one thing is for certain, whatever this was, I would do it all over again, because the pleasure love brings when you think you're in it, IS worth the pain...