Maybe Don’t Wish Upon that Star…Or Do?

This week I wish for patience. Patience with the pace of my life, and patience with where I am right now. Patience with who I am.

It is not unheard of for me to get frustrated with where I am and to wish that things were a little different from how they are. Sadly, all the wishing in the world does not change the circumstances of reality. Thanks for nothing fairy tales.

Despite the frustration and the doubt, I have to believe that these feelings are not forever. Growing pains are a part of life, and I imagine they will continue throughout every new stage. I think what makes being a twenty-something so exquisitely painful and completely different from other phases of life is the immeasurable amount of insecurity. This is an area of life that is overflowing with change – people are figuring out their career path, meeting their future spouses, creating new life – it is absolutely insane. It’s a lot to drink in, and it can feel like you are falling behind your peers, which is a less than comfortable feeling.

Being left behind, feeling alone in your quest to becoming yourself, trying hard to check off all the boxes you have created, these are all the painful realities of being in such a tumultuous time of your life. But guess what y’all. Not one single person here is alone. Not even one of us. Every single person on this earth has struggles, trials and tribulations in their lives. The person with the amazing LinkedIn profile does not have it all figured out. The newlyweds are terrified, which definitely does not even compare with the new moms and dads. Life is scary and challenging and exciting and wonderful and sad and hilarious and a million more things all rolled into one. That’s just the way that life works. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Patience is an important virtue that I personally need, and one that I wish for all of us. Patience to see our lives through without getting too down in the dumps. Patience to see a project or dream through. Patience for finding the right person. Patience for getting what you want. Patience is so incredibly important in life, and especially in the life of a twenty-something.

So, bringing it back to that wishing star, maybe instead of wishing for all the things that we need to be present in life and actually work for, maybe we should just wish for patience instead.  It is a useful tool, and it is a great way to not feel betrayed by Disney.

That’s right, we all know this is not a star. But as we all also know, when you shoot for the moon you land among the stars. That is an inspirational poster in every high school so it must be true.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

“Good things come to those who wait” is typically one of the most irritating phrases in the English language. Waiting is never an activity people willingly do, it is something that is a an unpleasant necessity. Such as stopping at traffic lights or standing in the gigantic queue of people lined up to get on an awesome ride. (unless that ride is in Harry Potter World, in which case going through the line is half the fun because it is soooooooooooooooooooooooo magical). But obviously every wait is not magical, and mostly is downright frustrating. What’s even more frustrating is people spewing out vague things such as, “oh just give it some time”, or “have a little patience”, or  “it will definitely grow back, you just need to wait a while”. These are the things that nobody wants to hear.

Although it is very annoying to give things time and push our patience limits, it is something that is worthwhile. All of those annoying phrases hold truth. Good things DO come to those willing to wait for them. Sometimes time is needed for things to get worked out, and patience is key. And it probably will grow back, but not overnight.

I have been waiting for what feels like ages to get my foot in the door. I have applied to hundreds of companies, broadening my horizons further than I have ever imagined. I have done a lot of soul-searching in that wait, trying to figure out what exactly it is that I should do. It has been a long and hard search, but fortunately it is not one that I have had to do alone in the dark. There have been so many people who have helped me and encouraged me, and I am truly grateful to each and every one of you. Your words of encouragement, referrals, and generosity have all been little gems to me on this somewhat glum journey. I have had an amazing network of people believe in me, and because of that I have finally found something that I know will be a great fit for me.

You are reading the words of the Pat McCrory team’s newest intern! I am now a press assistant intern, and I will be helping the team with news briefings, speech research, and social media updates. I am so excited for this opportunity, and I know it is going to be a wonderful experience for me. I have to give a big shout out to my friend Jenny, who was a big component in roping me this internship. She is the world’s greatest, and I am so thankful for her! I also am very appreciative of my mom for coming up with the idea, and who encouraged me to get the ball rolling on this. These women have helped me out so much, and I can only hope to return a similar favor one day. Also, thanks to dad for being my “life coach”. (I still think you should stick to your day job, no offense, bless your heart).

While it pains me to say this, good things actually do come to those who wait. You know it is truly something special when it is actually worth waiting for. Also, after your long wait is over, you will have something to brag about, and that is the essential thing we all want out of life. Bragging rights.

Jenny and I looking off into the distance of our bright futures. Friends that stare off into space together, stay together. Or so I have read.

These people have helped me with everything, and I love them a lot!
~Roomies 2012~

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait, or so I Have Heard

Waiting is one of the hardest things in life. Truly. Think about it! For example, say you are on a road trip with all your best girlfriends down to sunny Florida, and suddenly that last sip of water hits you where it hurts. You really need to go to the bathroom. Badly. You feel yourself practically turning yellow you need to go RIGHT NOW! But, a feeling of not wanting to be the annoying girl who always wants to stop because she “just has to go” has been instilled in you from a very young age. Yet, the pressure on your bladder is becoming borderline painful. Now do you understand what I mean about waiting? Waiting can physically hurt you. Not always, but never forget the awesome and awful power waiting possesses.

Whether you are waiting for someone to call you back, or waiting for someone who might actually be interested in hiring you (however inexperienced you may be), or even waiting for some poor fish to put his lip on your dangling hook, the anticipation of it all seems to be the worst. My question is what am I supposed to during all of this waiting? I feel like I am in a constant state of limbo, and according to Roman Catholic theology limbo is “an abode of souls that are barred from heaven because of not having received Christian baptism” (http://www.merriam-webster.com). It sounds like literally the worst place ever, and also extremely unfair, so I have decided that I do not believe in limbo in the afterlife. I have enough of it right now in the beforelife. (presentlife? rightnowlife? I don’t know the proper terminology, so I suppose I ought to make up some new words, just to keep things fresh).

In any case, the waiting game is possibly the worst game I have ever played,  with the exception of Monopoly. I will never understand why that game is considered fun. it takes forever, and all it does is make me frustrated and suddenly interested in sprinting away very quickly.

In all this time waiting, I really must think of something productive to do, to make the wait worth it. Or worth the wait. Whichever you like.

While I am playing the waiting game in limbo I will fill my time with fun things like reading and writing whatever I please, as well as filling in some of my time with the necessary schoolwork I must complete to graduate. Sigh. In any case, I really do not think there is much else I can do, other than try my best to be remarkable. Maybe go fishing.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to make limbo more fun, I would love to hear them! Maybe a little round of limbo dancing? Any takers?  I think yes.

He was not the most patient fisherman, and unfortunately for him, patience is a virtue that the fish admire the most. Needless to say, Drew did not cook me a proper fish dinner that night. Or any night for that matter.