I imagine that most people see this quote and think that it is quite literally about the stars, and to be honest, that is probably the reason that Galileo made this quote in the first place. However, when I think of this quote, I think about more than just the stars.
The stars are a metaphor for the good days. The night is a metaphor for the bad ones. So, when you put it together, I read the quote as saying that I'm far too happy during my good days, and I refuse to let the bad days ruin my life. And that's what I try to do. I won't lie. I have not followed this quote. My bad days are bad. They're soul-sucking, life-consuming, hellish, awful days, and they completely mess up everything. I try to be happy, I really do, but sometimes I can't. But when I see this quote, I challenge myself to do just that. I need to focus on the good things. Yes, the bad things happen--after all, they're apart of life--but that doesn't mean that you are defined by them. Live the bad days and learn from them, but don't let them consume you. There are too many things that threaten to overwhelm you and to just make you have a bad life. As hard as it is, you have to try to ignore them. Believe me, if you let them, they will drag you down into a deep, dark abyss that is extremely hard to escape from, sometimes impossible. It's not easy to focus on the good things when it's a bad day. It's not easy to think about cuddling with your cat when your cat dies. It's not easy to think about the nice new pair of shoes you got when you get sent to the principal's office. It's not easy to be happy with one friend while you're having problems with another. I know this from experience, and I know that you know it too because it happens to everyone. Everyone has bad days, but no one person's bad day is alike. We all have a different level of tolerance, a different level of forgiveness. So, what might be the end of the world for one person, is merely a blip on the radar of life for another, but that doesn't make your problems any less important. But the moral of this blog post is this: when the night is dark and rainy and cold, think about the stars. The stars are always there, even if you can't see them. The stars, too, have been through a lot; after all, they're dead. The stars are our companions. They will always provide some sort of light, no matter how cloudy it is. Go through life thinking like this. Love the stars; allow them to corrupt the night. I was sitting in my pew at church yesterday, listening to the sermon of the pastor who was visiting our church. He was really stressing this whole "thank you" thing. At the end, he challenged us to just say thank you to people because it brightens someone's day. It spoke to me, and that is how this blog post came to be.
I always say thank you. It's a knee-jerk reaction, it truly is, like saying "Sorry!" when you bump into someone (or something, as I have done before). I say thank you when a waiter takes my drink order, brings me my drink, takes my food order, brings me my food, brings me the check, brings me back the check, tells me to have a nice night, and then I say it once more as I'm leaving for good measure. I suppose that saying thank you all of the time might make it seem like it's lost it's value or importance to me, but that is not the case at all. I say thank you to let people know that I appreciate them. And I appreciate them being there to do their job and serve me, and that counts for everyone, to be completely honest. So yes, I might say thank you a lot, but that doesn't mean that the meaning is lost on me. I'm thankful for a lot of things, and maybe I say thank you so much because no one else seems to. Think back on it: when was the last time you said thank you? Was it today? Yesterday? Last week? Who was it to? Your mother or father? A grocer or a movie ticket vendor? Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe lots of people do say thank you, but they are most certainly not people that I know. If you are one of those people who say thank you to everyone down to your cat, then I apologize, because this message is not for you. And if you don't say thank you, I'm not judging you. Some people believe that if you don't mean something, then you shouldn't say it. All I'm saying is that those people don't have to serve you. Serving you probably wasn't part of their life plan. And don't make excuses about how it's their own fault and all of that nonsense, because the fact of the matter is, they're still helping you out, and therefore, they deserve respect. They deserve a thank you. Fall is here! Hooray, let's cheer! (Did I mean to make that rhyme? Yes and no.)
I love fall. The leaves are pretty and crunch under your feet. It is the perfect weather to go outside and play in. I love Halloween: the costumes, the treats, the cute little kids in costumes. It's great. I especially love planning my Halloween party and making awesome treats for it. (Ghost brownies, zombie punch, witch cookies--delicious and fun). And I can't forget pumpkin! I'm not a big coffee drinker, so I don't go crazy for pumpkin spice lattes like everyone else. I'm not big on pie either, but I can appreciate a good pumpkin pie, especially if it's covered in whipped cream. But my favorite pumpkin-flavored thing has to be pumpkin bread. Ever since I can remember, my grandma has made me pumpkin bread. Let me tell you: it is the best thing in the world. My dad and I always request loaves of it; it's just one of the many things we bonded over when I was younger. One year, she even made me my own tiny loaf to take home. I was in heaven. Pumpkin bars and stuff like that is good, but my favorite is pumpkin bread. Always has and always will, and if you have never had pumpkin bread, I insist that you eat some immediately. (IHOP's pumpking waffles are really good also. But still: pumpkin bread.) But how do they not like me? Well, unfortunately, pumpkin guts make me itch. I've always loved carving my pumpkin and cleaning it out, but the squelchy pulp inside makes me itch like crazy. It sucks. My skin gets little red dots all over it, and I itch. Really bad. I know I've said that a lot, but I do. They make me itch. So, for the first time this year, I will not be carving a pumpkin. I will be decorating it. And while I'm excited to decorate a pumpkin with glow-in-the-dark paint, it's still a little sad that I can't do that carving tradition like every other kid who's able to. So, yes. I love pumpkins, but they do not love me. Ours is a star-crossed love. |
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April 2018
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