in this life

Here's what I wrote as my plane back from Amsterdam was landing. (I wrote this on one of those handy barf bags they give you on the plane, since I wasn't allowed to stand up and retrieve my journal out of my backpack. I tell you this, because I find it humorous...)

This wasn't entirely my idea, I must give some credit to my roommate Jared, but here's what I wrote:

"Imagine all of your greatest fears and worries about who you will become in the future. All the things you never want to be. The things you never want to do. Close your eyes. Visualize what this would practically look like. Live it. Now, pretend you have some kind of second chance to go back to today, to right now, and start all over again. Would you? How would you start living differntly? What things would you start doing? Stop doing?"

Random thought: Shouldn't everyone have some kind of list of things they absolutely must do before they die? I know some people have those "life-goals" list, but this is a little different. These are things that I think can be extremely general, or even very common (i.e. get married, have kids, travel, etc.) but I think the list should still be made. Maybe this is because I'm just one of those people that writes down lots of to do lists and uses lots of sticky notes, or maybe its just because I want to get the most out of life. I dunno. The thing is, maybe this list isn't necessary. Maybe those things that we absoulutely have to do, are already inside of us. I guess I just like putting things down in writing. (As I write this in my blog...thank you Captain Obvious!)I think I'm going to start thinking of these things and writing them down, maybe even posting some of them here. I think that could be quite entertaining. I think having a list like that in a place where you can see it everyday would be quite inspiring and encouraging. Call me cheesy, but seriously, looking ahead to achieving certain goals will probably motivate you more to actually get to them. Ugh, I sound like one of those lame inspirational posters you see in high school or something.

Here's what I wrote on the other side of the barf bag:

"Why aren't more people honest with themselves? If you aren't happy with yourself, do something! Don't just sit there waiting for change, waiting for someone else to come along and fix the problem! Address the problem. Not with alcohol. Not with drugs. Instant pleasure is not the answer. If you aren't happy with your life, with who you are, why? How is fixing that not your top priority? What, or who, is holding you back? Usually, it's only ourselves. Do what you were meant to do. What is that you ask? I don't know. Find what it is that makes you feel complete. Without this you aren't fulfilling your purpose on earth. Find what makes you come alive! And head towards that! Now!"

on that note: peace amigos. more to come about ireland and the netherlands.