Blogiversary

 Why hello there readers!
Have you come to join me today? For on this, the February the seventh, is my two year Blogiversary!

To be honest, I don't know what all to include on such a thing as a Blogiversary. But, I've got to start somewhere!

 How this all came around on this little blog of mine, was short list, and a rather simple goal.

Summer 2015 - A Brief List

1. Learn as much as I can.

2. Be the best I can be.

3. Connect stronger with God.

4. Do the things that have been set in my heart to do!

And the goal, of writing one short story for every day of the year. Because, as I said then–

"It's impossible to write 365 bad short stories if you write one a day!"

(I'm quite certain I'm quoting someone here.)

So how did that all go so far? Well, let's see.

Learn as much as I can... well, that's quite a lofty goal. But I'll say that I've managed to learn what it is that I've needed to learn when I needed to learn it. Life has been full of odd and various strange things, but I don't doubt that even with all I've learned, I'll ever stop learning. In fact, I hope I never stop.

Be the best I can be.

You know, reading that sentence now sounds very conceited, but I do believe that what I meant to say, was more along the lines of–Do my best, no matter the circumstances.

Connect stronger with God? Well, that is also a daily process. One of learning, and listening. I'd hope I'm closer to Him than I was two years ago, but I also hope that I will be closer to Him still, even by tomorrow.

Do the things that have been set in my heart to do!

Whoa! I am both impressed and a tad frightened at my younger self there. But here's the thing, I've always had lofty goals for as long as I can remember, and my dreams have been through the roof. Have I completed any of them? I think I have. Have I gained new ones however? I hope so. Doing what it is that I hope to do, and making the best of every situation is something that is a daily challenge, but one that I know in the end will prove worthwhile. I know that I can do far more than I realize. And while that might sound self-centered, please understand that it's not. I've been someone who's been afraid of things most of their life. I've gone from fear to fear with no open or apparent reason. Until recently. Because it was only until recently that I realized that I have potential. Not only that. I have the potential to change things. Big or small, known or unknown. I have the ability to create and to do things in my life. And that's something that I've been hiding from for a long time.

It's not easy to break out of a rut, let alone a routine that's been slowly getting set for years without knowledge.

Have I done the things that have been set in my heart to do? Not entirely. Not yet. But now, you bet'cha.

Because sometimes, I guess some of us just need a little bit more than a nudge, if you're like me, sometimes you don't see the things right in front of your face, and you need someone to blatantly tell you–HEY! YOU'RE NOT USELESS YOU KNOW! Just because you get somewhere a bit slower or faster, easier or with more difficulties, with more or less things in the past to deal with than the other guys, doesn't mean you won't accomplish your goal.

Take it from me.

You.

You are not less just because you have different struggles.

You are not less because you have different strengths.

You are not less because of any weaknesses you might have.

You are not less.

You are never less than anyone else because you're different.

Are you gonna take that next step with me? I know how it feels to be slower, or to think differently from other people. To like things that others might call stupid or a waste of time. But we're not less than them, but we're also not more. We all are made different and that's what makes life so beautiful.

I'd by lying if I didn't say we were all equal. We're just made for different things.

I love Parkour, I love the idea of being able to propel myself through the air and to complete feats of daring.

But I can't do that without more training than a lot of other people.

Why?

Because I have injuries.

Knees that can't always take impacts, and an ankle that isn't as strong as the other. And yet, I still run. I jump. I dance. I still do things because I know I can do them.

Sometimes, I'll get a little ahead of myself, I might push a muscle too far past it's trained limit for the time being, but it's because of just that. They need training. Just like any ability, talent or hobby, it takes time and practice.

10,000 hours of something, and I've been told that makes you an expert. Well guess what, I believe that's true.

Because people that have mastered something, didn't do it overnight. Or even in a year, because not even a single year has 10,000 hours.

Some might pick up a skill more quickly, or perhaps more easily than others, but in the end, it's also been said that "Hard Work beats Talent, when Talent doesn't Work Hard."

Things take time. And I'm learning that. But at the same time...

... Don't ever think that you can't start.

Not thinking you can even start is the first step to killing potential.

Not starting, is worse than failing.

Because with failing, you have the potential to learn something.

By never starting,

you don't even give yourself the chance to find out.