Just Say Yes

Sentimental post coming straight to your heart. If you don't like it. Turn your eyes away.

Being in Santorini, Greece is nothing short of beautiful and amazing. If you were to ask me how I would describe it, I would probably just stare at you blankly until you decided to awkwardly change the subject. Why? Because coming here means so much more to me than I could ever explain. It's my last stint as a college student. Wahhhh wahhh. I know right? But it's actually a lot deeper than that. It feels like it's been the first thing I've done in a long time without being held back. CURVEBALL.

Let me explain. All through college, I spent most of my time saying no. No to my friends, no to work, no to weekends with the girls, to Cornstock, etc etc. Why? Because I had someone in my life that would ultimately wind up meaning absolutely nothing to me and essentially be nothing other than a familiar face in the crowd. I'm extremely disappointed that I wasted a lot of my college days driving to be with someone who wound up giving me nothing more than a pair of sandals and a whole lot of lies.

So. Signing up for this month abroad was a bit of crazy thing for me. Said person actually told me that I shouldn't go because it would hinder my chances of getting a teaching job. I'm glad I shut that idea down and did something for me instead of someone else....so here's how this plays into my life on the island. I'm determined to say yes to everything, within reason of course. Nothing life altering, in order to cancel out some of the no's I've said in the past. I'm determined to show up in Moorhead on June 8th, exhausted, sad, and with absolutely no regrets.

I stay up until early morning clearing the dance floor with my white girl moves. I eat gelato twice in one day. I get shin splints running down the endless hills. I eat Nutella straight from the jar.  I jump in the ocean at 3 am...All accomplished with the necessary power-nap. Although, I don't think that saying yes to everything for one month will make up for all the no's I've said in the past, but it's sure a start.

As cheesy as it sounds, after four years of always trying to please someone, I finally am getting to do what I want. I look back and think, geeze. That was me. The girl who ALWAYS needed to be on the phone. ALWAYS needed to know what was going on. But now. My phone dies and I could care less. I finally feel like everything is falling into place. I've never been one to embrace changes in my life but I think that I've finally realized that a small change that seems so awful at the time will ultimately wind up being for the better. I can honestly say that I am thankful for finally being able to let go of some things in order to find more important things.

Even though we still have two weeks left, I feel inherently sad for the day that I have to leave this beautiful place and all these beautiful people. This trip is such a blessing and has opened my eyes to the fact that one person should never break your world. There's always going to be people out there who bring you down. But I promise. No matter what. There will ALWAYS be people who support you and let you shine.

Love.