A Psalm of Life

Tell me not in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solenm main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Christmas

These words completely capture my emotions this Christmas season. Crazy story behind this poem/carol too.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said:"
For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Coffee Dates

Don't you hate it when the people that you really desire to have a coffee date with are miles and miles away?

There are a few people in my life whom I would desire nothing more right now then to be with them. Sitting at one of those tables for two in the warm glow of a coffee shop. Oblivious to the comings and goings of other people, oblivious to the murmurs of conversations all around, oblivious to time, completely lost in conversation. And when you look in their eyes as you talk you can just feel that they truly care about and cherish you, like you do them. And in that moment it feels as though, with their encouragement and support, you could take on the world.

I miss coffee dates.

Law School

Really??

The first time this realization hit me I cried.

Yes really I did.

Oh the things in store for my future.

I just prefer not to think about it.

Law School.

Don't remind me.

At least I can drag Alyssa along with me now. ;) It makes everything better.

Life, Obstacles, and Happiness

“For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.” ~Souza

I want to really get this. Truly live in the moment, look for happiness here among the yuck, and not just wait for happiness as if its something to be grasped in the future.

I'm Done

I'm tired of pretty people not having to be nice to make friends. They just automatically make friends. While I on the other hand bend over backwards all the time trying to be nice and friendly, and I still struggle with making friends in this stupid place.

This is not ok.

I used to be known. I used to be liked.

I'm not asking for popularity here. Just to get out of this invisibility.

Wandering Thoughts

I'm living in Seattle
Listening to the 2nd movement of Beethoven's violin concerto in D
Drinking tea
Watching baseball
Reading for my american government and politics class

And I'm missing the person who instilled in me the love of all these things
My best friend
My role model
My #1 fan
My encourager

I hope your memory truly lives through my life.