It has taken me a while to understand what this word means. It is one of those words that you hear your whole life and take for granted its existance. Faith is said to be 'complete confidence in a person or plan'. I find it fitting, because as I was growing up and in school I believed in plans. I also had a lot of faith in people and in their intentions. I also believed that people were exactly what they appeared to be. I didn't understand pretenses for a long time. As a result of that as a kid I believed that all anger or happiness directed at me was a direct result of something that I did or did not do and sometimes even now I have to remind myself to beaware of false emotions and actions of others and to really keep the faith.
Fast forward a few years. I am twenty five years old, and I am still in college. I am working part time in customer service and it is one of those jobs where I am constantly looking for the good in people. I don't want this blog to be where I go to vent ( although I just might from time to time...) so I will try to make this short. I had a customer who was difficult yesterday. She called to state a problem and to yell. I tried to help her fix it and she hung up. We repeated this song and dance for a while and are still playing at this game again today. However there was man who was waiting for me and listening to my end of the conversation and as I hung up he asked if I needed a hug. Aww! :) ( I said, "No, I'm okayish") He told me not to worry about it. That there are people who are unhappy and need to make others feel like everything else is that person's fault. He was so genuinely nice. ( He also gave me a five dollar tip and told me to buy a drink. I did- a cold can of theraputic-cure-all-Dr. Pepper.) This man gave me faith yesterday. He gave me faith in people and in myself. I am going to try to remember that this year. I am going to remember him and not the woman on the other end of the phone. I am going to look for the good people at work this year and commemorate them on this blog.
I am also moving forward this year. Mentally, physically and emotionally. I am going to graduate from college. I am also going to build on the steps I took last year to run and train to become a better runner. 2009 was just about the action itself. Now it is about how can tone my running. I am also going to serioulsy enter training for a full marathon. ( Disney World 2011 here I come baby!) I am going to appreciate more fully my ability to run and my ability to live. Here are few of my 2010 goals:
1. Graduate
2. Train for Walt Disney World Marathon 2011
3. Run four half marathons
4. Do two trail races
5. Do one snow shoe race
6. Take a self defense class
7. Take a CCW class
9. Start a garden this year ( build a raised bed for it)
10. Start a compost bin
11. Do Pedal to the Point ( in August)
12. Visit Yellowstone
13. Read eight nonfiction books ( not for classes)
14. Find children’s books to read ( in Spanish and German)
15. Listen to 11 new artists
16. Find a piano to play
18. Cook 30 new recipes
19. Become a morning person
23. Participate in a sprint triathlon
24. Take scuba diving lessons
26. Apply to Graduate school or have a meeting with a counselor
31. Average 30 miles a week ( running)
32. Do one swim workout a week
33. Cover 1000 miles on the bike this year
34. Be on time to classes and don’t miss one class!
We'll see how it goes. I am definately going to give these goals my best and I am going to appreciate the gift of time this year and take advantage of it. This year is about a more motivated me,so I will end this post and start this new year off with a quote that I hope to constantly remember and put into action.
Our Greatest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others."
—Marianne Williamson
I hope that we will all have a fabulous and faithful 2010!
