**

For all of this…I am thankful.

• Their love for Colby jack cheese was funny. Apparently this cheese is not available where they are from.
• I remembered more German than I thought and we had many conversations (although, my cousin would beg to differ) in this foreign tongue.
• I ate too many sweets.
• The night of dancing til 3:00 am was very memorable, especially at the point when one of the girls asked, “Where are the Germans!?!” Where were they? Taking pictures of the very large mirrors in the bathroom area.
• It was fun introducing them to all of my friends.
• Francesca, I want that hipster hat!
• We laughed a lot.
• There was one bad cooking incident and our house was full of smoke. I still plan on writing a letter to the store about the bread without cooking directions!
• The cats were slightly jealous of the company, but were sad when they left. I might have even shed some tears with them.
• We had a sing-a-long that last until 1:00 am. My gosh, my friend Katy really does have the loveliest voice ever.
• The inside track of the Wonder Wheel at Coney Island really stirred up my motion sickness, but watching the girls reactions made it well worth it.
• Did I mention how awesome the German chocolate was? Schoko-bons=heavenly
• Despite the technology of Google translator, Hayden’s random questions to the Germans were still confusing. The Kase frage about Colby vs. Jack was especially tricky.
• Coffee and lazy mornings=bliss
• Katy Perry Pandora is pretty great for getting dolled up.
• Our corner store must really think we are crazy.
• This list could go on and on. But I’ll end it here. All in all, a wonderful trip.

xoxox

see all images 

…All I know is that when I’m with you, I feel like I’m clutching a giant thing of pepper spray or reliving a moment of being carried to bed by my parents when I was five years old and fell asleep in front of the television. All day long, I can feel fragile, like a raw nerve, and when I come home to you, it’s like I just put on the thickest winter coat and installed bulletproof windows in my apartment….

…There’s nothing more rewarding in this world than knowing that you’re being understood. Someone is seeing all of you and accepting it as is. “I’ll take the one with the beautiful dents that likes to cry at commercials. I see potential in this one.” You take me and I take you. Sold.

- thought catalog

*source*

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place.
in the family of things.

~ mary oliver

*source* the brilliant, inspiration, katie soloker!*

dear universe,

if you are trying to break me. stop it.

because i will laugh, even through tears.

“have you seen the movie, ‘how to lose a guy in ten days?’”

oh the irony…

because between these shallow breaths of tears and hearty breaths of laughter, i will remember that it’s these moments that make me know that i’m alive.

and i’ll remember the feelings that preceded these were lovely, even if brief. they were real, even if fleeting.

so dear universe, if you are trying make me give up and lose hope.

i won’t, dammit.

there are learnings from everything, there is love in everything.

*source*

Dear heart,

I know you would love to be hiding behind this bouquet of balloons and that you really wish they could take you high into the skies. To another time, outside of this embarrassment. Away from your nervousness when you feel moved, for you have the clammy hands to show just how scared you really are.

But I also know that you are just very excited. I know how you often say too much without thinking. And I know that you’re working oh-s0-hard on being mindful with your reactions to emotions. To be patient. 

So dear heart. Remember to be kind to yourself. In this life, we can look back at our mistakes. Our eagerness. And we can laugh.

Love,

a stronger you from another moment in time…

Weekends of fun, new friends, and so much more have me filled to the brim. I am overflowing with love. It’s as if all of these dreams under my pillow have found their way into reality.

Here are some magical things from the weekend…

• another day at the beach with francesca
• exploring prospect heights
• making boats out of leaves
• daydreaming in prospect park

**

I feel this glorious feeling of excitement and like this cute pup, I’m ready to leap into new territories. 

**

thank you meg, for another beautiful find.

“We can never know what to want, because, living only one life, we can neither compare it with our previous lives nor perfect it in our lives to come.”
- Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Sometimes people say things to us that make us see things with a different lens. All of a sudden light is shed on things you defended or ignored. But it’s freeing in a way. It releases the harsh emotions and ill-willed thoughts. You’re able to take a breath and say “okay, I get it now.” And so you keep moving. Forward, forward, forward. With all of your might. To the things that matter most. A simple realization can bring the lightness back into your step. It helps you laugh and smile. And despite feeling burdened by rejection, you realize serenity comes only from things you can control. That self-love matters most.

So, with Kundera in mind if this is the one life I know, I might as well keep doing what I’m doing. I don’t know that I’ll always get it right, but at least I’m living. And I’m going to chose wisely. Next time around, I’ll remember these signs and will protect my heart. But my intentions will remain full of love. Even for those that have hurt me. Even for those things that irritate me (that person that threw their trash on the ground and walked in front of me).
Remember compassion. Remain mindful. Remain me.

With that, I’m giving myself a little break from this reflection and will enjoy this summer. And what’s summer without good music? I am totally loving these bands right now, plus the new Bon Iver (not on this list though) is awesome.

Have a wonderful weekend. xoxo