My sister

A wedding being prepared, we think of what really represents my sister and her fiance. He's currently deployed (as a Marine) in Afganistan, and should return shortly before the wedding. Calls made every three weeks or so, my sister can't get enough of him. They met when she was the sweet young age of 14, from then he knew he would marry her. We moved not long after, but they kept in touch. On her 18th birthday he really got talking to her again, they talked every single night. The glow of her cheeks got brighter every day! Over summer we had driven to California where his base was, and we spent a few days with Max and his buddies. My sister Rebecca didn't want to leave.. this was when Max told her that he loved her... and we all knew she loved him too. For her senior prom, Max came up to Washington where we lived, and took her to the dance. From that young age that we knew him, he became a great man and I couldn't have chosen a better man to marry her. These two are so in love.. you could see it without even knowing them. My sister Becca is the brightest young woman, so funny, so full of life, so thoughtful. Most girls are full of drama.. don't know what they want. But, Becca's kept her standards high and has become someone that everyone wants to be around. I'm her bridesmaid, lady in waiting, and planning her bridal shower; and I couldn't be any happier. My friends told me that they thought it was kind of weird to be so close with my whole family.. but something like that is hard to find. We are all best friends.. and I would choose my family over anyone else any day. Having fun and laughing is just part of who we are. Without laughter, what would life be? I would do anything for my family. I support my sister when it gets to that three week mark and she hasn't heard from Max. He just called, and she's back to her happy-go-lucky self. She is truly an inspiration of what I would like to become myself one day.

Labels

Most likely, somewhere along in your life, you've been labeled by someone. Prep? Goth? Emo? Druggie? None of these labels sound like good things, so why let it get to you? Or why label someone else? Everyone is different in their own little way, should they be shamed for that? No, there has never been anything such as the term normal. The word normal shouldn't even exist. It's not fair for people that are maybe a little different from everyone else to have a word taunting them. Nobody is perfect, everybody has flaws, and everybody struggles with being who they really truly are. Be who you are, that's what people want to see. Judging someone else is a flaw that everyone has, you might think that you don't judge people, but it's something that everyone does. It's a hard thing to not do, but you shouldn't avoid those who might not fit your criteria of people you'd like to be around. A quote I love says "I'm not perfect girl.. my hair doesn't always stay in place and I spill things a lot. I'm pretty clumsy and sometimes I have a broken heart. My friends and I sometimes fight and some days nothing goes right, but when I think about it and take a step back I remember how amazing life truly is and that maybe, just maybe, I like being imperfect." Just remember that you're not perfect, and nobody else is, but that doesn't mean judging people is okay. It's just not fair to everyone around you. The feeling of being judged because of the way you look, act, or talk... just doesn't seem like the right thing to do. Including everyone is the best thing you could possibly do. I had gone to a dance with my friends a few weeks back and one of my friends looked at a quiet girl all alone then looked at me and said, "Look at that girl over there.. I bet she doesn't have very many friends, let's go talk to her." We all went over to her and talked to her, and the biggest and brightest smile flashed across her face, as her eyes lit up as well. I know that we really made a difference just by doing a simple act of kindness.. it certainly impacted me, if not them.

Keeping it positive

Starting off, I'm not going to tell you how old I am, yet. Don't judge my age, I have something to say and I think it should be heard. Have you ever thought about life and thought, "Why does this always happen to me?" But think, you're not the only one who has trials, and you're not going through it alone. Thinking negative doesn't get you anywhere, it just makes you feel like you can't fix anything or you're stuck where you are. Sure, life can be hard, but it's all worth while. When life gets you down, just look at the bright side; it's easier said than done, but it'll make things that much better. I have 10 members in my family, me being the youngest. I don't always get to be with the older kids, but I do love them with all my heart. There is nothing they could say or do to make me love them any less than I do. My siblings have made their share of mistakes, but hasn't everyone? The key is to learn from these and be a better you. Personally, I try not to get mad over the simplest of things, or even the worst of things. Why should I? Being mad is just too much effort and sadness, when I could be out enjoying things and having a good time. I don't take things for granted, and I always thank my parents for everything they've done for me. What do you think of when you hear the word 'hero'? The dictionary says that a hero is a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Now your probably thinking of someone like a cop or fireman, am I right? But what about just an average person who has really influenced your life? My father, is a brilliant man. A fearless, fun, and thoughtful man. Without him, I really wouldn't be anywhere close to the place in life that I am now. He's done everything in his power to raise our family to the highest of quality. Doing anything he can to support us, and keeping our thoughts positive when things get rough. My parents, in all of their years of marriage, have not fought even once. Can you say true love and dedication? I'm sure they have both pushed each others' buttons more than a few times, but they didn't let that get in the way of their happiness. I'm so thankful for that, I am the way I am because of them. So mom and dad, if you're reading this, thank you so much for everything. I know that you think you've done something wrong in teaching us kids because of some of the choices we've made, or will make, but you did an amazing job. I love you both. So back to the subject of happiness, do you see where I got my positive attitude? It's not something that's easy to acquire, but think of the joys you will receive because of a simple change in your lifestyle. Don't judge, don't hate; everyone is different, so let them be the way that they are. You cannot change someone because that's what you want, you just need to learn to accept and love the way that they are. Just remember that old saying, when you see a glass half way filled, don't think of it as half way empty, but half way full.