Changes.

Day by day nothing seems to change, but pretty soon--everything's different. And not only is everything different, but you now have a different outlook on life. A variety of so many experiences that teach you something unexplainable, and you never knew you were in the middle of a huge learning opportunity when it was happening. It's amazing how life works that way, isn't it?
Yesterday I found out one of my younger cousins is now engaged. She is 18 years old, and if I recall right, he's a little older than her. It is crazy for me to comprehend it all, not only because she is one of my younger cousins, but because she is only 18 years old! She has so much ahead of her, so much to learn..to grow from.. I mean I have no room to talk, because when I was 18 I was in a long relationship with my high school sweetheart, and I only know now the complications and difficulties that would have been brought along with that relationship if we did further it like we had planned--and I'm thankful we didn't. I learned an extremely large amount about myself and who I am when we broke up. I think it takes a very strong person to be able to successfully be able to pull apart from someone else and rewrite their own life. It wasn't easy to do, and I can't say if it would have been easier doing that compared to staying together for the long haul, but what I do know is I learned quite a few of the life lessons I carry with me today at that point in my life. Younger people are so oblivious to the realities of what it takes to be in a relationship, and the struggles you face. I think with experience, people then can truly have a better understanding when it comes to what makes a relationship stay strong and long lasting. I'm not saying they won't last, or that they will get a divorce or anything like that, I'm just talking in general. It seems I'm the only cousin I grew up with that isn't married and/or with kids. I don't feel bad or out of place with this fact at all. I am so happy with where I'm at right now, I'm getting an amazing college education which I will be able to successfully make my mark in the world with.

I guess this relates to my major as well. I really believe that with divorce being very convenient and what seems to be an easy fix to some relationships, people don't take marriage nearly as seriously as they used to and instead of learning how to deal and move past issues, most people end it with divorce and in turn create a huge cycle of disappointments and high-expectations. That is only my opinion though, based on the research and studies I have encountered as well as my own personal observations throughout my life. It just almost leaves me speechless when it comes to how society has changed over the past few decades in regards to relationships and family structure, and what has taken place to possibly encourage these differences.

It's just crazy to think about where my life would be if I would have stayed with the first person I thought was the one, the first person to make me feel loved, the first person I became attached to, and the first person I couldn't imagine my life without. It's hard to say where I would have ended up, but I would almost guarantee that a Bachelors Degree, nor Masters degree would have been in the picture. I'm not even sure moving out of Price would have been, either. I guess I'll never know, but all I can say is I'm truly happy I'm where I am at right now. I am a very determined, hard working, strong-willed individual who is independently supporting herself with two part time jobs with 15 hours as a full time student in school. I am extremely proud of this, and with time I can only imagine what other achievements I will be able to smile about. I just can't wait to be in a career I love, creating my life with the pride, confidence and knowledge I gain from my studies.

The rest of the factors in my life will come in time, and until then, I am thankful to be able to focus my attention on my siblings, my own life, and my education to better my future. Oh, and spoil Rascal a ton, too. :)