A Letter to Me at 18- The finale of the 4

Dear 18 year old me...

You thought this final letter would never come, I bet! Well, here it is- the grand finale, the final chapter of the quartet. While this letter serves with no theme, no overall idea to take with you into the office or out on a date, it is still a very important message in which I hope you take to heart. Short and sweet, here are my final words of advice that I hope you'll take with a grain of salt and a pinch of sugar-

Take leaps of faith, the bigger the better. The landing may be rougher after some dismounts than others, but you will not fall on your face as long as you keep your head high and your heart open to new experiences.

Crd*t

Learn to enjoy being alone. Learn to enjoy days without breaks from human interaction. Time is time and whether you are sharing it with your closest friends, mere acquaintances, or alone, it is time that is to be savored and soaked up by simply being alive.

Enjoy your body, please. Don't compare it to magazines, Victoria's Secret catalogues, TV actresses, and even your friends on Facebook. Instead of focusing on what it looks like, work it to enable you to do amazing things. You've already built up amazing strength to jump over 5 feet, 4 inches in the high jump. You will go on to run over a couple thousand miles with the short and long runs accumulated throughout your late teens and early twenties.

Eat right, fuel a motivated and active spirit. Don't dwell on the fact that you are either pear shaped, apple shaped, strait shaped, etc... "Confident" is the best body type, and the best thing about that is the fact you get to choose that body type- so choose it and move on.

Crd*t

Don't ever shy away from an opportunity to strike up a conversation. Even if it's with the man sitting next to you on the plane, the girl waiting behind you in the coffee shop line, or the family browsing the supermarket aisle beside you. Human interaction is a complex, beautiful, strange, and bemusing thing. We'll never understand why, but just complimenting her hair or their children's smiles brings immense joy in many forms to you and the ones on the receiving end.

Laugh. Everyday. Notice how it makes you feel. Now, go out and make sure that you can make at least one person experience that happiness just by being in your presence. If you can make someone laugh and encourage happiness, you are doing a great service to humanity.

Crd*t

Learn to enjoy children. You will want them some day (don't worry- not at 23, but you will later I'm sure). Plus, they know what's going on. Their spunk, enthusiasm, perspectives, and joy are the key ingredient to a young soul- keep this young spirit within yourself. Our bodies may grow old, but you can choose to always be young at heart.

And finally- don't take life so seriously. I know this is a hard concept to grasp (I know because I am still trying to conquer this myself). But every single person on this earth is on the same team just trying to make it in this chaotic arena we call Earth. Thank God every day for your blessings, laugh off negativity, and just be you- you're the only You this planet will ever have so make your presence light, lasting, and full of life.

Until you're here sitting behind your computer, typing letters to your ghost of the past, remember you are well on your way to the rest of your life. Every step counts, every word matters, and your thoughts define you. Make them beautiful, and make them yours.

Love always-
M

A Leap... A Poem

A year ago today
you said you would be here
with a million little "I cans"
and a thimble full of fear

You brushed off the word unhappiness
and promised yourself success
you said you'd conquer insecurity
and solely work to be the best

You dreamed of flying airplanes
into the sun and distant lands
you thought of the world you'd conquer-
counted setbacks on only 1 of your hands

You gave yourself some deadlines
took some consequential leaps
yet when time got lost in little trenches
you let them invade the dreams inside your sleep

Laziness took over
and a voice inside your head
took all the little million "I cans"
and turned them into "I can'ts" instead

Distractions became your to do list
your priorities slipped and fell
and on lonely nights when the lights went out
you were left only to sit and dwell

The people who entered and stole your attention
you see now you should have let them leave you
but instead you kept them close to your heart
allowing their presence to deceive you

So I tell you today
a year ahead of your time
before you go forward
and move out of your prime

Sit down and write lyrics
blogs, poems, and stories
turn battles and defeats
into grand, triumphant victories

Because in a year this time today
you'll wish you had taken the risk
to write the words upon your heart
to have all you ever wished...

A Letter to Me... Part II *What is a Career?*

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Dear 18 year old self,

Me again. You know what I was thinking this morning as I was writing this letter to you? This is sort of like the episode of the office when Jim sends Dwight faxes “from the future”… One of your favorite episodes.  By the way, on this day, October 18^th, 2008…. DON’T DRINK THE COFFEE! You’ll thank me later…

Speaking of the office, I wish to send you a letter to better prepare you for the working world and the adventures you’ll embark on in order to find your calling. I can’t even tell you what your career is and what you’re working towards. Really, it’s impossible for me to do so because I am ((almost)) in as much of the dark right now as you are at the age of 18. But this is not a bad thing… and here’s why-

You will hold multiple jobs throughout the next five years. You will work in several restaurants as anything from a baker to a barista. You’ll also be an office assistant, PR coordinator, intern, event manager, data analyst and advertising consultant. These will all be short-lived positions, but all of them will offer the opportunity to learn what you like to do day-to-day and what you do not. Don’t get frustrated if you fail at one of them (I won’t tell you which) because this will show you that you are better suited for a position that will open more doors to the people you want to surround yourself with, the work you wish to pursue in the long run, and the freedom to produce the crops of your heart.

Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s when it comes to pursuing the right major in college or your overall career after graduation. Each and every single person you meet will experience set-backs and moments of doubt about what they wish to be in the working world. It’s the people who experiment with multiple majors, consider numerous career paths, or juggle several jobs at one time that will gain a wealth of knowledge about what’s out there and the kind of person they are hoping to become. Go to them for advice when you need it. And by the way- your undergraduate major does not decide what you will be doing right after college nor does it define your career. But- make sure you use your time wisely and choose to study what you enjoy while you have the resources to.

One thing I did not do that I wish I did (and I beg of you to consider now while you can)- go abroad while in school. I’m sitting here at the age of 23 and I still have yet to go to a Spanish speaking country like I wished for in high school. Your brother did it, and you should too. Learn diverse cultures, adapt to differences so they are no longer differences but instead- valuable perspectives, and contemplate how you can transfer your understanding to others so they may too wish to close the gap on prejudice anywhere you go. You’ll know people who DID go abroad and they will always tell you this was something they will never regret.

Remember that money isn’t everything when it comes to your first job out of college. Here’s a shocker- the economy is hardly getting better, and this will make things challenging for you and your classmates. For the time being, apply for internships and don’t be discouraged if you work for less than you expect when starting off. Hands on experience in something you love for less income will bring you more wealth and feed your overall contentment. Don’t settle for a job that provides a fat paycheck only to pay for material things that suppress your unhappiness in that position. If you are afraid of only one thing- find fear in becoming unhappy- this fear will push you to be optimistic and driven towards your greatest capabilities- especially in the workforce.

Ban negativity from your everyday conversations- with others and with yourself. Complaining never got anyone anywhere- and in a world where time can make the difference between succeeding and receding- choose the path to higher ground, climb like hell, and don’t look back. Like mentioned in my first letter, the tougher classes and job positions will lend way to a more enjoyable and understandable horizon of opportunity.

Work hard, strive to yield results you can take pride in, and take every opportunity offered to you to learn something new. And if none of this seems relevant to you today… remember one thing- DON’T DRINK THE COFFEE!

Love, Future Dwight
M

A Donut Named Desire

Sometimes the greatest gift is a morning of deep sleep, thick yawns, and grey skies outside of the window. Combine this with a short drive to downtown Wilmington, where the few people that are awake are crawling over the cement like ants, and a breakfast of rich chocolate-bacon donuts dipped in coffee interrupted only by the good conversation of a great friend...

That can only be described as bliss.

Another weekend in the beautiful beach town I once called home for three and a half years, I count my blessings. Celebrating an engagement this evening, I prepare to surround myself with good hearts, great food, and unforgettable memories. All I need is a silk ribbon to tie it all together and top it off with a bow.

Luke 12:15

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”



Little Thing

Take a feather in a rainstorm
throw it off into the wind
watch it fall down to the earth
before its flight could begin

Watch the grain of sand get washed away
by a single wave of sea
unsettled for just a moment
but then the earth will let it be

See the branches in a snowstorm
struggle under heavy sheets of ice
then glimmer in the moonlight
in the clearest of winter nights

See the exhale of smoke from a burning fire
dance across the prairie sky
a gust of wind unsettles the rhythm of chaos
and soon even the heat will die

Listen to the lonely owl
whisper secrets in the dark
watching at dusk for his prey to sleep
in the shadows of the park

Hear the breath of the morning
as the sun climbs the rungs of space
to greet each miniscule matter of life
that bring a smile upon your face

My Life Lately...

Bruises and Scars

We all have the ability
to live in chaos or tranquility
based on the course of our actions-
acting upon priorities or distractions
who we are and who we are to be
depends on the world we choose to see
for me, I want to be free of animosity
but in life, this choice is not always easy

We fall and tumble after a minor stumble
over words, feelings, expectations
shallow analyzations and personal evaluations
bruised and battered, clothes ripped and tattered
over things that may or may not truly matter

But we walk and limp with discolored skin
as if hurting and feeling were notable sins
stoned to death by the eyes of my enemies
as if hatred and self-loathing befriended me
leaving my skin cut deep only to scar
alongside the bruises that define who we are

But the end of our struggles reside in our mind
and fall victim to hearts that are pure and kind
and forgiveness heals all hard hearted fools
for when we forgive we let go of the rules
and love with compassion above boundries of law
and see gold in the scars that once were of flaw



We give hope to the wreckless pirates of purity
crumble boundaries of weakness and insecurity
because when people promise love instead of hate
we forget how to fight and only to appreciate
the time we have with those that matter
allow glass ceilings to tumble, break and shatter
and while scars never heal and bruises sink deep in our skin
we will prepare for restoration before the battle can begin

Life in my 20's, a mini-series

I may only be a low twenty-something...

but I have learned so much in the past year since I became (and passed) the double dos. Meeting new people, starting my life as a young professional, working 9-5 7a-5p five days a week, going to weddings, being in weddings, going to baby showers, and spending evenings alone in my solo bedroom apartment... all of which has occurred just in the past twelve months...

But with these new experiences comes knowledge, understanding, and perception... and a few new haircuts, additions to the closet, and injuries. Ironically, the latter is what I find to be of value above the rest, let's be honest.

But as I continue each and every day in this realm of twenty-something chaos, I wish to share a few of those lessons and realizations I have come to in order to remain sane (or try to) in many or most situations this chapter of life throws at each of us...

1. EAT THE ICE CREAM!
It is a proven medical fact that our metabolism is revving in our early twenties (and will continue on until we are near 30). And even if your metabolism is slower than molasses running down a tree in the middle of a freezing winter, EAT THE DANG ICE CREAM!

Diet, Shmiet- Be happy and enjoy the sweet taste of creamy goodness on occasion! And try every flavor! Life isn't about holding out, it's about holding on, and I'll gladly ask Ice Cream to join my side in the fight for sanity.

2. Chill with the 'Rents every chance you get!
They are the best friends that will can never leave your side. Even if they are the goofiest individuals to walk on this side of the nuthouse...

they are most likely the most loving, caring, responsible, and all around understanding people that will be a part of your life. And let's face it, they won't be here forever, so pick their brains, make jokes, learn about their past, and teach them what you've learned. They will listen, I promise- as will you!

 The two best friends I'll never be able to replace.

3. EXERCISE, FOOL!
This is pretty self explanatory- Before the achey joints set in, get off your rear and move! Take a walk, run, race with friends in awesome runs like the electric run or the color run! If nothing else, dance in your living room... Feel the music, jump up and down, sweat until you drip... Your body is in its prime for only a few more years, put it to use!

4. Don't worry about your "marital status."
Like I mentioned above, I have a large group of friends that are currently married, just got married, will be getting married, or are in serious relationships. Me, well... I couldn't be further from that chapter in my life. And that's OK! This is a great place to be in life if you still want to try new things and want to figure out where you're going. I don't know where I'll be in a year, HECK! I don't know where I'll be in a month- but I can tell you for sure that I am growing and learning about myself and what I am capable of in more ways than one.

 The kind of growth I could only experience if I did it myself- I am on a different path to a different destination than every other person on this planet (and guess what- so is the one person that has their path eventually intertwining with yours). So enjoy the scenery, take in the sights and smells-

You'll have so much to share and teach, experience and learn, when you meet the person that's being prepared to journey alongside you soon-

There is surely more that I've learned about my twenties, but I'll let these settle in until I dive in further. But if you don't agree with anything I have posted here today, please leave with one thing in mind....

EAT THE DANG ICE CREAM, People!

Gluten Free Pancakes and a Mess I Guess...

Easter is tomorrow, but that doens't mean that gluten-free is on its way out. For the past 40 days, being Gluten Free has definitely transformed my eating habits. For those with Celiacs and other major irritations that prove a person cannot have Gluten in their everyday lives, I have greater understanding and respect for the sacrifices.

Thank goodness there are books like those shown below to educate us about the importance of gluten-free eating... And they encourage those who love to cook to be adventurous with what they are cooking with!

Buy the book HERE

That being said... I will be continuing my gluten-free lifestyle past Easter after the lent season, as I find it truly gives me more energy, less stomach issues, and a better sense of what I am putting in my body. More veggies, fruits, and lean proteins, please! This morning, I made gluten free pancakes with rice and almond flours- add some frozen pineapples and strawberries for a sweet healthy topping.

On the other hand, life is life and I can't shake the thought that everything is a mess. Now, sometimes messes are a blessings in disguise, and it is that in which I am banking on. Thank goodness for friends and moments like these...

Happy Easter weekend, everyone! Go to church, eat some treats, love many <3 br="">

Ready for Sweet Summertime

Is it just me, or has winter overstayed its welcome? I love Winter... I truly do! I love snow, hot chocolate, stocking hats, warm mittens, and crackling fires...

But this girl is so ready for some summertime! There's something so pure and innocent about the Spring season that serves as a segway into the sun-beaming months of summer. Fresh starts, sun-kissed skin, and bright colors.

What is your favorite part about the warm seasons? They are right around the corner... I hope!

 

A Place to Call Home

It's official. I am currently living in my new abode. Upon moving all of my furniture and bigger belongings into the third floor of my new apartment, I sensed the excitement finally running full force through my finger tips.

Without internet and cable for the first week in my new apartment, I spent some free time (what little I could find) at the Starbucks a hop and a skip away. Yes, it may be dangerous how close and convenient this caffeine nook is to my quarters, but it allowed me to look up plenty of good decorating tips (for this girl on a budget). Thank you, Pinterest! You have saved me once again!

Tile 1:
1. Square Mirror- Dollar Tree- $1
2. Hexagon Mirror- Dollar Tree- $1
3. Aqua-Marine ribbon- Wal-Mart- 1 spool- $1.89

Tile 2:
1. Small Glass Vase- Dollar Tree- $1
2. Blue Opaque Pebbles- Dollar Tree- $1
3. (2) White life-living flower- Dollar Tree- $1 (x2)
4. Mainstay Floral Bouquet Candle- Wal0Mart- $3.50
5. Coffee Mug (gift from my homeland, Maryland!)

Tile 3:
1. "Get Naked" individual letters- Michaels- $.79 each (x8)=$6.40

Tile 4:
1. Tack and Tuck homemade cover (sheets) Wal-Mart- $5.69 (x3)= $17.20
2. (2 packs) Cushion Tacks- Wal-Mart- $.87= $1.75

All together, all seen above cost me approximately $37. Not too shabby when one couch cover averages $50! Hope everyone's weekend was crafty, not the least bit soggy, and all around lovely!

Sunrise Running Cures the Blues

I can't lie... my life is one huge blur at the moment... Kind of like when all you want to do is grab a glass of wine and sit in front of a Seinfeld marathon but instead walk into the laundry room with an overwhelming pile of wrinkled clothes screaming at you to fold and put away. Demanding little chores, you!... Go away! 

(Not actual photo of my place... but pretty close)

With the moving process well underway, vacation creeping up around the corner, and bills piling up quicker than the predicted snow totals back home today... I am feeling a little bit overwhelmed.

Luckily, my rommate and I enjoy the same insane ritual of waking up way before the sunrise (ahem... hello 4:45am) to lace up our sneakers before work and hit the streets for a good long run. I can't tell you how much I have needed these runs this week, what with all this chaotic change happening. It's nice to have something like running in the company of your good friend, sharing personal stories and thoughts, laughing at something completely trivial and inconsequential, all before the world gets going around you to bombard you with sounds and sights.

pic

 

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

New Apartment, Saving Spring Break, and Still Gluten Free!

It seems that with the ever-churning wheels of adult-hood, this girl has been going full throttle since day one of work. I thought about what it would be like to pull the emergency brake and stop for a few days to breathe... and then responsibilities kicked me out of this daze and back into the drivers seat 

0 to 60...

This past weekend, I road tripped to Charleston (for the first time!) to celebrate my roommate's last "Fling before the Ring." I met amazing ladies, ate some delicious food, and got into too many adventures... wait... is there such a thing? I think not...

Yes, that is my roomie and I... 

and yes, those are lady mustaches we are sporting out in public...

But with all good times come an end and we found our way back to the real world this week full of work, bills, and cleaning. Unfortunately, my roommate came down with a silly sickness and we have been wishing her a quick recovery...

On the other side, I have been feverishly searching for my new home here in Charlotte, and thanks to some quick thinking and a nice lady in the front office of the apartment complex... I have found my new bachelor-ette pad. 

How I'll decorate it, I do not know. I'm about as clueless as a turtle in an airplane about what to do to put an entire apartment together. Kitchen appliances, bathroom extras, living room furniture-OH MY!

 All I can say is Thank Goodness for Pinterest! 

How I'll incorporate different elements such as seen above... beats me. But once the furniture moves and space is reserved... I'll figure it out. If you have any input for this new apartment dweller, please share!

Also... while I am out of college and far from a standard "Spring Break", I will be packing my bags for a long weekend trip down south for some sunshine coming up in the next week! 

 

Who said I'm too old for spring break? Oh no, not I, says the girl on the fly! 

 

XOXO

What My Dad-Dad Taught Me...

Growing up on a horse farm was not always a cherished way of life like it is today. In fact- I can remember coming home from friends’ homes and asking my parents, “Why can’t we live in a neighborhood like *Ashley or *Josh?”  I wanted the cul-de-sac, I wanted the back-to-back yard whiffle ball games that lasted into the evening, I wanted the bike rides with friends. But most of all, I wanted the normalcy. The normalcy that I saw behind the lifestyle of those cookie cutter houses that bred socialites starting at the age of six...

 

But to my dismay (at the time), My brother and I grew up on a hill that overlooked fields of alfalfa and grazing horses. Neighbors were never seen conversing in the driveway nor were there ever group barbecues that people stopped by for a quick hello.

 But as time went on and I look back at this life style I grew up in, I can’t help but be ever so grateful for never reaching “normalcy” and aging with a developed desire to stand out. And although I never met the man, except for a month before his passing as he held me as a bundle of wrinkled skin and baby coo’s, I have so much thank my great granddad for all he has contributed to my life.

My Dad-Dad, Charles Keller II, was an extraordinary man. Even twenty-two years later, his presence in each and every one of the Kellers' lives is strong and humbling. You see, my Dad-Dad was a dreamer: A motivated individual that had a to-do list only fathomable by the very elite visionaries. A young boy, he dreamed of serving his country, playing baseball, living on a farm, moving to exciting cities and meeting incredible people.

Charlie went to the University of Maryland after growing up in a small rural town about an hour outside of Baltimore. Studying agricultural economics, he also found the love of his life- soon to be his wife- and played baseball for the university. In time, he found himself playing minor-league baseball for the Newark Bears until he made his way up to New York for his rookie season in 1939 for the Yankees. 

Interchanging his time between the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers from1939-1952, my Dad-Dad played out his passion and worked towards his dream. He left the diamond in 1944 and was gone much of 1945 as he took this time to serve his country in the Merchant Marines during World War II.

Before and after his military leave, Dad-Dad achieved a position in multiple World Series and accumulated an impressive batting average. Charlie (or King Kong Keller, as his teammates called him based on his massive power swing… or gorilla-like eye-brows) stayed busy bettering himself and his aspirations. 

Playing with headliners like Joe DiMaggio and Tommy Henrich, Dad-Dad met fascinating people. He learned of stories that lead to greater perspective. His travels and correspondences helped him gain an abundance of knowledge and understanding, some of which has been passed along to me through the generations that have raised me.

After back issues, my great-grandfather retired from baseball and made his way back home to Maryland. But his to-do list wasn’t yet complete. Now with a family and support from friends, Dad-Dad began what was soon to become his pride and joy. A standard bred horse farm on the outskirts of Frederick that he right-fully named, “Yankeeland.” It is here that he built a barn upon a dream that grew into a business. But more importantly, it spawned from a simple idea and a wild passion that evolved into a reality. 

 This is where he watched his family grow and learn the true value of hard work. My grandfather worked his bare hands here, my father still works this land, and I am blessed to still have the opportunity to plant my memories in the soil my great-granddad had sewn for this family.

I wished to share this with you for the soul purpose to reflect. It is possible to achieve all you set your mind to. My Dad-Dad taught me a lot: The power of persistence and the importance of dreaming, no matter how big these dreams may grow to be. He taught me that all success stems from sincere love and devotion for the people that enter our life to support even our craziest ambitions. He taught me that not one thing can be expected or given to us unless we are willing to risk failure and stretch our abilities to reach success. 

I can’t remember what age I was when I realized that I liked growing up where I did; that time period in which I knew that I never really wanted normalcy. Because had I grown up in normalcy, I would never have truly understood exactly what my Dad-Dad built our home upon- a passion for family, a passion for achieving… a passion for dreaming.

New Little Project- Stay tuned!

So sorry I have been a little MIA lately- Gretting adjusted to the new job, travels back home at the turn of fall to Maryland, and now a road trip to visit my friends in Wilmington!

Where has the time gone? It's almost mid-September next week! But with the changing seasons, so may some change happen On The Wing. Stay Tuned, Lovelies- I gota storm brewin' and hope it brings all kinds of blue skies after the aftermath!



Happy Thursday! Stay Classy, Love Doves!