musings.

I’m sitting in my luggage-strewn bedroom at home with a comforting cup of jasmine tea on my desk.  The thunderstorm outside hammers raindrops on the roof over my head.  When I look out the window, I see a muggy green jungle rather than the usual suburban scenery I am accustomed to.  My surrounding environment sets the mood for imagination and introspection… suddenly, I am catapulted into a tide of flashbacks.  But rather than impart to you fond memories, I decided to engineer a working list of lessons learned during my four years in college.  Here goes!

1. Listen to your mama.  She’s chock full of wisdom that you don’t even know about.  Mine’s always right, at least.

2. If you don’t have a mother, defer to the older ones whom you respect and trust.  Chances are, they see things that you don’t.

3. Never underestimate the little people.  The ones who were always picked last for gym class, bullied by queen bees, taken advantage of because they are weak, the ones who don’t look particularly special or extraordinary.  They are the ones who will inherit the earth.

4. Money can motivate you towards your way to success but it cannot provide you with content.  An education or career attained by sheer desire for an income is transient in comparison to a life ambition attained by love or passion.

5. The people we dislike the most are the ones we have the most in common with.

6. Those who agonize over their inadequacies never fully understand the depth of grace and the paramount freedom we are meant to embrace.

7. There are issues in our world that command a black-or-white answer and there are dilemmas for which our answers will remain forever gray, but there is always one truth for every problem in this world… And it is a matter of kings to search out that truth.

8. It is possible for a woman to be as fierce as a lioness in her will but as tender as a lamb in her heart.  Not all feminists want to be in charge of the world, you know.

9. To resolve to never love another is to resolve to never be loved.  The one who resolves never to love should be the one we pity the most.

10. There are noble men in this world who believe that beautiful things do not always require a beautiful appearance; that lovehandles and skin disorders and imperfect hair are trivial.  Such men admire women for their strength, intelligence, courage, and humor.

11. It is better to judge yourself before you accuse someone else of doing wrong.  Chances are, it is you who needs to change, not the other person.

12. Miracles. Really. Do. Happen.

13. Never value the gift more than you value the Giver.  Nothing on this earth belongs to us.

14. Every “hello,” every lateness to class, every lunch conversation, every argument, every misunderstanding, every assignment, every spontaneous volleyball game, every rainstorm without an umbrella, every accident or urge to complain is yet another opportunity to demonstrate the wonderful human ability to love, forgive, and be thankful for what you have.

15. It’s always a process… just make sure you’re progressing forward, not backwards.

Well it stopped raining and my introspective mood has been killed.  More or less distracted, I should probably say.  Perhaps I will continue this later.