Life Lesson #1: Happiness Only Costs 25 Cents :)

How awesome was it when you could get everything you wanted in this world for 25 cents?

As children, we appreciated the smallest things in life - a piece of bubble gum, a dandelion, finger painting, and making mud pies.  However, as we grow older, sometimes we forget these little aspects of our life that made us so happy. 

Why are children generally happier?  The answer is simple:  they appreciate and enjoy the finer things in life.  They have no one to impress but themselves.  Adults, on the other hand, often fake a smile, go to dinner parties with people they don't really like, and buy overpriced junk that satisfies them for a moment at the most, but then the attraction seems to dwindle.

Life Lesson #1:  Live today as if you were a child.  Don't let stress get in the way of having a good time.  We don't have time to be embarrassed - we only have time to have fun, and be with those we love.  Forget everything else for a minute.

Images courtesy of:  http://www.photobucket.com/

Where's the Reward?

You know that horrible feeling of trying and trying, but never being quite good enough?  It is that feeling of working so hard for something, that the reward is almost tangible.  The reward may be tangible, but it is not yet within your reach.  You think you can grab it, and you try!  Oh!  You try so hard to grab it, and to hold on to it  with all of your might. 

Then, like a balloon floating up into the sky, the opportunity you have been waiting on for so long, is gone.  You wonder what you did wrong, but it's not about what you did wrong.  You may feel that way, but it's not.  It is about what all of the other people did right.  It is who they knew, or their social status, or maybe, just maybe, even their talent.

Unfortunately, not enough things in life are based on talent anymore.  Take that as a life lesson, kids, and be ready for it.  No matter how hard you try to convince yourself it doesn't happen, it always does. 

Photo courtesy of:  Photobucket

2010 WILL be a Great Year!

"Every story has an end, but in life every end is just a new beginning."

I am not sure who said or wrote the quote above. To tell you the truth, I found that saying on a myspace graphic. However, I think it carries a very appropriate attitude to start off the new year with. Do not think of what you lost in 2009; think of what you will gain in 2010. 2009 is a chapter that has already been written. Your work is complete, your mistakes were made, your lessons were learned.

I know I made numerous mistakes in 2009, but I learned many lessons too. It is possible that I even learned more than I made mistakes. With every mistake, there is the wonderful opportunity to learn. Our mistakes that we learn from help mold us into better individuals. Change is inevitable and essential in our ever-changing world. It is something we can try to run from, but we cannot hide from at. However, why would we want to? Change is natural, beautiful, and constant. Change is about the only thing in our lives that is constant, with the exception of God.

Besides, if we did not have change, what would we have? Criminals would never stop committing crimes, drug addicts would never go into rehabilitation, and babies would never stop crying, pooping, and spitting up. Think about it! What would our world come to?! We would have one way of doing things, one boring pattern of life, and nothing new to look forward to! Change is a blessing, although we may not always realize it. I am confident that though there will be many changes, 2010 WILL be a great year for me, and as long as you keep an optimistic attitude, 2010 WILL be a great year for you too!

My Thoughts & Musings From 2009.

I figured that since we are about to embark on a new year, I would write about some of my thoughts and musings from 2009.
Like any year, 2009 was a year of change. However, I think some of the changes that took place in 2009 were bigger than many of the changes I have had in most of my previous years. 2009 was a roller coaster ride with a lot of ups, downs, and definitely loops. I learned some important lessons in 2009 that turned me into the person I am today. I believe that these lessons will come in handy later in life. Life threw a lot of obstacles my way, but I fought back, kicking and screaming.

One of the major lessons I learned this year was that people are not always what they appear to be. I know that is an age old saying, and that people usually don't give it a second thought. This year though, I learned that it is an absolute TRUTH. It is not something to just roll your eyes at. You may think you know someone, but you might not. Especially when you first meet someone, it is easy to get caught up and jump into something, whether it be a friendship or a relationship. However, I have learned that you should not jump blindly; you should always keep one eye open. There may be no flashing lights or "danger ahead" signs to warn you that something is wrong, so it is hard to know when something is not quite right. That is why you need to be very careful.

Another lesson I learned this year was taught to me by an unlikely teacher. "Some things in life are worth waiting for...even if it means waiting forever." I have learned that I am worth waiting for. I am confident that if somebody really loves me, they will be willing to wait for me. This year, my values have been tested more than they ever have been before. I had to decide which direction I wanted to go, and it was an extremely hard decision to make. However, I have learned that if you are with someone, you should not have to change your values, and they should not have to change. They may choose to change, but they shouldn't have to. It may not be easy, but if it is meant to be, it WILL be worth it. Like the song "Love is Not a Fight" by Warren Barfield says: "Love is not a fight, but it's something worth fighting for." I definitely believe this. Now, I wish I could say that I'd fallen in love in 2009, and [insert name here] is EVERYTHING to me, but it hasn't happened yet. Of course, I am willing to wait, because when love does blossom it will be worth it. People tell me it will happen when I least expect it. While this answer does not exactly satisfy me, I tend to agree that love will happen.

As I mentioned earlier, this year has been a year of major change. I have realized that close friends drift away, and this year has been no different. Some of my close friends have drifted away, whether it was totally, or just partially. However, when I was at a couple of my lowest points, it seemed like the most random person would start talking to me. I appreciate these people so much. They might never know who they are, but I am very glad that they intervened when they did. They were in the right place at the right time, and I am very grateful for that.

This year, I really have matured a lot. There have been times this year when I would do something that I never would have done in the past, and I would realize that I actually have a backbone. I have made new friends, and grown closer to old. I am not going to lie. There have been times when I acted happy even though I wasn't. There were also times when I bottled up my emotions at school, and then blew up at my mom once I got home. Sometimes, it just happens. While some people think that I am always happy, nobody ever lives up fully to that expectation.

I am going through a major transitional period right now. I have gotten a taste of the college life this year, and sometimes it is hard to wake up and realize that I am still in high school. I won't be for long, but that really does not change much right now.

Sometimes people think I am so naive, but I am NOT stupid. I have expanded my open-mindedness this year, and while I have never been a very judgemental person, I have become even less judgemental. After all, isn't there a saying about being nice to everyone, because you never know what internal battles they may be facing? I agree with that fully. I try my best to be nice to everyone, because I know what it feels like to be the outsider.

Overall, 2009 was not a bad year. It was rocky, but it had its perks too. However, I still wish for an even BETTER 2010. Remember: 2009 may have been divine, but 2010 is the year to start over again! So with that, I wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! May God bless you in all that you do!

Love always,
Molly :)

Forgiveness & Truth.

I have a favorite quote that I have wanted to share with you for a very long time, but I have never been able to finish anything I have tried to write on it. Now, I think I might finally be ready. It is about a topic that is very near and dear to me: forgiveness.


"Sincere forgiveness isn't colored with expectations that the other person apologize or change. Don't worry whether or not they finally understand you. Love them and release them. Life feeds back truth to people in its own way and time." -Sara Paddison.


Forgiveness is a very meaningful word to me. It is one of the most important actions someone can do to maintain any kind of relationship. Forgiving someone is about love. It is about believing in your heart that you still love a person even if they betrayed you, failed you, or hurt you in any way.


Sometimes your forgiveness is willingly accepted, but other times it is not. When your gift of forgiveness to someone is denied, then it can be one of the hardest life lessons to learn. It can be absolutely devastating to a person.


However, if you dwell on the gift that they will not accept, then you will become bitter again. You will become bitter because they will not accept the forgiveness that you give them, so in turn you will be unforgiving of them not accepting your forgiveness. How confusing is that? It is something that seems absolutely ridiculous! It is absolutely ridiculous!


Why do we as humans worry about the things in which we cannot change? I know I do it. It is one of my bad habits. It is kind of like wanting something you can't have. It seems that people always want the one thing that they cannot have when the world offers them so much more!

If we expect nothing and get nothing, then we will never be let down. In contrast if we expect everything and get nothing, then we will certainly be let down. So why not try and focus on expecting nothing? That way, if we do get something we will be absolutely overjoyed!


Sometimes we just have to let go of what we love, and if it is really meant to come back it will. If it is not meant to be, then so be it. If we get nothing else in return we will at least know the truth when it is ready to reveal itself to us.

I Don't Forget...

"When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power." -Hugh White.

Mistakes are wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge. The past has already been written, but the future is a new notebook. Stop reading your old journal entries and write new ones.

That is what I am supposed to say, but is it really that easy? Maybe I am just a hypocrite, because I am the one who can't forget about the past.

I love my present, and look forward eagerly to my future, but one thing I don't do is forget...