Monday, October 22, 2012

Everyone's a Hero in their own way...


It’s no secret to anyone that I love Miyazaki movies, especially “The Secret World of Arrietty.”  To briefly describe this movie to you, it’s about Borrowers (little people) who get discovered and have to move.  There is one scene in particular that I absolutely love.  It is where the Borrower Arrietty talks to her human friend Shawn.



Shawn: “You must be afraid to be the only ones of your kind. Every year there is fewer and fewer of you. Aren’t you scared that you all will soon be gone?”
Arrietty: “What a horrible thing to say! I know there’s more of us because Spiller said so!”
Shawn: “Who’s Spiller?”
Arrietty: “He’s one of us. He lives out in the forest. He said that there is hundreds more of us.”
Shawn: “That might be true. But none of us can live forever can we? We all have to die sometime.”
Arrietty: “Why would you say something like that?”
Shawn: “Because it’s true.
Arrietty: “I guess so.”
Shawn: “Believe me. I know what I’m talking about. Sometimes things happen to us that are just beyond our control. And when these things happen there’s really nothing you can really do about it.  You just accept it and prepare for the worst. I wish it wasn’t that way. But you can’t live a life that’s built upon nothing but wishes. I mean it’s impractical.  Sometimes you just have to accept the hand of fate.”
Arrietty: “Oh no you don’t.  Sometimes you have to stand up and fight for the things worth fighting for.  You have to survive.  That’s what my papa says.  So we’re leaving even though it’s dangerous.  And we are going to survive.  We’re Borrowers and we’ll make do. We always have.  As long as we have each other to live for, we’ll keep on living.”
Shawn: “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.  I’m actually the one who’s going to die.  There’s something wrong with my heart.  They’re going to operate next week, but, it probably won’t help.”
Arrietty: “That’s terrible.”
Shawn: “I’ve always been sick and had someone looking after me.  And that’s why when I saw you I just wanted to find a way to protect you.”

Shawn was someone who felt helpless, and wanted to go help save someone the best way he knew how.  He was trying to be a hero in his own way.

Back near the beginning of this year I encountered a child that has left an impression on me.  This one day I was just listening to what kids were saying to each other.  Another child leaned over and read this dear five-year-old’s shirt out loud.  It said, “Cancer is a terrible hair stylist.”  The other child jokingly said, “What? Do you have Cancer?”  She quietly responded with, “I do.”  I froze and told the other child that he shouldn’t talk any more about it.  The curiosity got to me and I started to ask her questions.  

Me: What kind of cancer is it?
Her: I don’t know.  It’s in my tummy.
Me: Did you go through kemo?
Her: Yeah.
Me: Did you lose your hair?
Her: Yeah.
Me: That must have sucked.
Her: It did.  I got rid of it when I was four.
She then looked down and then looked up with a big smile.
Her: I got to go home on Christmas!

My heart melted for her at that point.  She had gone through so much and she is only FIVE! I complain about the little things in life and she has experienced so much worse.  I was at that point that I decided that I could do something for her…  So, I did something in honor of her…
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I CUT MY HAIR!  
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It took awhile to grow it out, and I finally cut it this past Saturday so I can donate it to Locks of Love.



I’m still trying to get used to the length... 

I now leave you with, everyone’s a hero in their own way…

 

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Grateful for where I am


Many of you already know that President Thomas S. Monson of the LDS church announced today that they are changing the age for missionaries to go.  My first thought was, “That’s great, more people will be able to go.”  I then started to get sad because I thought to myself, “If they announced that a couple of years ago, I would have served a mission.” For the next hour I stewed it over.  I then realized, if I had served a mission at age 19 I would have missed out on a couple of blessings:

Tau
Tau was one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in my life.  I met great people, and it helped with networking.  It also helped me get a little more comfortable putting myself out there in new situations.


People I would not have met
I would have missed out on the opportunity of meeting and getting to know Toni Justet, Andrew Thulin, Stephen Barton, and Daniel Atamanzak.  All of them have impacted my life in a positive manor and I know they came into my life for a reason.


Ashley’s Wedding
My sister got married May 2010.  I would have been gone during her wedding.


Manti Trip
Going to Manti with the Sundown Ward was a blast! I got to know Kristy more, spent time with my good friend Aleisha, and got to brave my fears and jump off of a Waterfall.


Random Adventures

Field’s Goodbye Show (One of the teachers that I KNEW cared about me)


At an interesting church in the avenues working the kitchen for a past sister missionary’s wedding. (We are in the elevator of the church)


My cousin Taite got to be in his first show at Hale "A Christmas Carol." He was one of the Cratchet children and one of those creepy kids that got to crawl out of the Ghost of Christmas Present's robe.


Three shows

Beauty and the Beast
I got to be a Silly Girl for Hunter Central Stake’s production.  It was my first show out of High School.  I met many great people and experience the magic of what makes this show great.

 "Is he dangerous?"
Stalk Market
This was the show that got my foot into the door at the Empress. Yes, it was just a one act, but it was a magical experience to perform for my first time on this stage.  If I hadn’t of done this show, I don’t think I would still be doing shows at the Empress right now.


Damn Yankees
(I saved the best for last) I hated this show, I really did. I loved the cast though.  They are the one cast where I’ve stayed in contact with most of them.  I gained lifelong friends.  Amy, Keri, Kristen, Larissa, Dennis, Stephen… You guys are great and would not trade you for anything.  I would not have met you if I had served a mission at 19.



I think what I’m trying to say is… I’m grateful for my experiences and wouldn’t want to change the past. Here's to modern revelation. I am a Mormon, true blue, through and through. Persecutions many arise, mobs may assemble, but I will stand as a witness of God at all times, all things, and all places.