Recently I just got back from traveling in England and France with my family. It was quite lovely. I'm sure you want to know everything I learned about the kings, architecture, and revolutions... Like stop it, I know you're dyinggg to know all those gritty details. If that's the case we can go to lunch and chat it up, but I'll just say that the most important things I learned had nothing to do with history. I learned that British men have gooood style-at the least the ones trying not dress up like Kanye. I learned that ratatouille is delicious and Laduree macaroons are a gift from up above. I learned how to photobomb like a pro at museums and learned that Asian tourists are actually quite fiesty. I learned to say about a total of six words in french-- which I would butcher on the daily. I learned the best gelato is constructed into a flower and the best shopping is done on the side streets not the main roads. I learned that family is one of the best things in this world and despite how weird, embarassing, or crazy your family may be.. They will be the ones that will keep you together when you feel like your world is falling apart.
With being a recent graduate, there are many mixed emotions. There's excitment for the unknown future, a slight bitterness of something left behind, and a lack of stability in the present. It's surreal, awkward, and hard. Surreal because it still doesn't feel real. How can I possibly be old enough to be done with 12 years of grade school? It's awkward because now I'm in a state of limbo. I'm past the age of being in high school but can't declare that I'm in college? It's awkward. It's hard because no matter how surreal it may feel or how awkward it may be, it's still happening. Regardless of not knowing what the heck I'm doing with my life, I still have to press on and just hope that somehow I will find my way. It's hard realizing that not all my best friends won't be right by side within a few short months, something that I have most definitly taken for granted. It's hard accepting change with open arms because change is what makes goodbyes, growing up, and well, change, real.
So these were my emotions and thoughts going into the family vacation and I just so desperately wanted them to disappear. Ya, they didn't go away. If anything, the trip made them more prominent and obvious. But God has a special way of making my troubles and worries go away. Instead of my making them disappear like I want, He makes them bold. Bold enough to leave me no way to escape. So bold that I have to face it, but there's beauty in that challenge. Because once you face what you fear the most you get past the immediate shock factor. You get past the sting and direct pain and then you realize... that behind the wall of fear there's so much opportunity and goodness that fear wouldn't let you see. So on a little, quant side street in Paris I was in a perfume shop when I encountered a simply perfect moment. The type of moment that you know God just planned specifically for you. While in the shop I looked out from the inside to see a quote on the store's front window. Curiosity led me outside to read the quote-
Like how lovely is that? Did it solve all my problems?.. maybe not. But after reading this I just realized that you can plan, predict, or even avoid the future but it really won't help. The best thing you can do to prepare for the future is to love the present. Love each day for what it's worth. Love being with your family in a foreign country being lost in translation. Love this carefree time of your life. Love being with friends when you can, and love that regardless of separations, they will always be your best friends. Love yourself and love something greater than yourself. And as hard as it may be, try to love change. There's no use in hating change. I think sometimes we forget that it was by change that some of our greatest opportunities and memories were created. Now don't get me wrong, I'm by no means ms. positive all the time and I still fear the many "see you soons" and challenges that are ahead. But I have decided to not let the fears get the best of me and live each day to the fullest. So what, I may be in a limbo stage, but even in the most surreal, awkward, hardest times of your life- there's always flowers to smell. And that was what the store window taught me.
Miss you ladies, hope you're smelling the flowers wherever you may be
All my love,
Lauren
So these were my emotions and thoughts going into the family vacation and I just so desperately wanted them to disappear. Ya, they didn't go away. If anything, the trip made them more prominent and obvious. But God has a special way of making my troubles and worries go away. Instead of my making them disappear like I want, He makes them bold. Bold enough to leave me no way to escape. So bold that I have to face it, but there's beauty in that challenge. Because once you face what you fear the most you get past the immediate shock factor. You get past the sting and direct pain and then you realize... that behind the wall of fear there's so much opportunity and goodness that fear wouldn't let you see. So on a little, quant side street in Paris I was in a perfume shop when I encountered a simply perfect moment. The type of moment that you know God just planned specifically for you. While in the shop I looked out from the inside to see a quote on the store's front window. Curiosity led me outside to read the quote-
Like how lovely is that? Did it solve all my problems?.. maybe not. But after reading this I just realized that you can plan, predict, or even avoid the future but it really won't help. The best thing you can do to prepare for the future is to love the present. Love each day for what it's worth. Love being with your family in a foreign country being lost in translation. Love this carefree time of your life. Love being with friends when you can, and love that regardless of separations, they will always be your best friends. Love yourself and love something greater than yourself. And as hard as it may be, try to love change. There's no use in hating change. I think sometimes we forget that it was by change that some of our greatest opportunities and memories were created. Now don't get me wrong, I'm by no means ms. positive all the time and I still fear the many "see you soons" and challenges that are ahead. But I have decided to not let the fears get the best of me and live each day to the fullest. So what, I may be in a limbo stage, but even in the most surreal, awkward, hardest times of your life- there's always flowers to smell. And that was what the store window taught me.
Miss you ladies, hope you're smelling the flowers wherever you may be
All my love,
Lauren
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