I wonder if life will ever slow down…

Or if time will only speed up as the days fly by.

Hot Town

I love this time of year, when spring shifts into summer. The days are warmer, and the city glistens in the heat. I find myself stealing as many moments as I can to spend outside.

This morning I walked the mile from my apartment to Runyon Canyon, went for a lovely hike, and then walked back. Tomorrow I’m heading to Santa Monica after church for a much needed beach day. I can’t wait for my toes to hit the sand and to doze off to waves crashing in the distance.

Lately, L.A. feels like paradise. Better still, it’s beginning to feel like home. Best of all, it feels good to savor every second.

Simple Pleasures

I no longer have to go into the office on Fridays. Today was my first day of sleeping in until 9, starting laundry, and whipping up a few banana pancakes for breakfast. I know that this four day work week (technically I still work more than four days a week with all the events I cover on nights and weekends!) bliss won’t last forever, but in the meantime, I’m making the most of it.

Besides, I’m such a workaholic that I will still work a bit on Fridays…I’ll just be doing it from the comfort of my apartment!

passing time with you in mind

Growing up, my brother and I were never that close. I’m three years older, and I was always more motivated than he was. Consequently, I excelled in school, and though my parents said that they didn’t compare us, I always knew that I was the easier child to raise.

I think he felt like he lived in my shadow a bit, and we always had different interests. Ultimately, we spent time together on family outings or vacations, but lived quite independently under the same roof.

After my first year in college, my parents and my brother moved. He switched high schools half way through one of the most difficult periods of time for most people. He left behind a solid group of friends, and he became depressed.

I was away at school but heard about the pain he was in and started making an effort to reach out to him. It wasn’t easy: He’s introverted and phone conversations can be challenging. But, I reached out anyhow. I called him every week or so, and whenever I visited home, we would make plans to have a brother/sister hang out. We’d go see a movie or go on a bike ride or go for a run.

I’ve seen my brother go through a lot in the past couple of years. Now life is looking good again for him, and I’ve seen him hold on to his faith for strength. This past Christmas, he shared with the entire family his dream to transfer from the community college he is currently attending to Westmont. He told us that he wanted to go to a school that challenged him both academically and spiritually, and that would ultimately strengthen him as a person. As I listened to him that day, I nearly started bawling at the amazing person my brother has become…I’d like to be more like him.

Our relationship looks a lot different now than it used to. He was in L.A. a few weeks ago on a road trip with friends, but he made a point of calling me and meeting up for breakfast. Tonight I found out that he has been accepted to Westmont and will transfer there in the fall. I’m so proud of him, and I’m so thankful that I finally realized that his joy fills my heart up.

“I need to feel strongly, to love and to admire, just as desperately as I need to breathe.” -Jean-Dominique Bauby, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

I love stumbling across quotes as I read that sum up my personal views so eloquently. While there are many unnecessary things in life, having feelings is not one of them. I hope I never lose my passion for living.

Too Much

Wow, what a week. It’s amazing to me how easily your work can become your life if you let it. I can’t really pinpoint why this week has been so hectic…I think it is a combination of working late a few nights paired with sleep deprivation, topped with almost constant headaches.

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday. I’ve already decided that I’m sleeping in on Saturday and then soaking up the warm weather. Now, it’s time to go do what I love: Run until I’m numb. Ironically, I love running because I love to feel my heart pounding, my calves straining, and the breeze on my skin. But above all, I love when I am in the zone and feel nothing at all. There’s a quiet peace behind that numbness, and it’s priceless.

Seems Like Forever

I’ve lived alone for three months now. I don’t think I realized how much I would learn about myself, my life, and my work this year, yet as I reflect, I see what I’ve come to learn lately…

1. I’m more independent than I even dreamed. I adore coming home to an empty apartment and having time to think or be silent if I need it. I also love the freedom to listen to whatever music I like, sleep whenever I want, and have no one else to worry about or try and please.

2. I’m passionate about magazines. I can actively work on creating an issue all day long, and am still more than happy to receive the latest Vogue or In Style in my mail box – I promptly settle down for an hour or so to read it.

3. I’ve discovered that people are so different from one another. We communicate differently, we perceive things differently, and we experience things differently. While I have those moments where I wish everyone else had the same communication style I do (because sometimes it seems like everything would be simpler!), at the end of the day, I love being challenged by people and by the lens through which they view the world.

4. I’ve found living life one day at a time to be extremely satisfying. In high school, I lived for getting into a great college. In college, I lived for graduating and entering “the real world.” For the first time in years, I’m content and happy with the present. I’m not too worried about tomorrow, or next week, or even next month. When people ask how long I plan to stay in L.A., I’m always surprised. I don’t have any idea, but I know I’m carving out a life here, and it’s one that I love.