You know how when you were a little kid and you believed in fairy tales; that fantasy of what your life would be- white dress, prince charming who would carry you away to a castle on a hill? You would lie in bed at night and close your eyes and you had complete and utter faith. Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Prince Charming- they were so close you could taste them, but eventually you grow up one day, you open your eyes and the fairy tale disappears. Most people turn to the things and people they can trust. But the thing is, it's hard to let go of that fairy tale entirely cause almost everyone has that smallest bit of hope, of faith, that one day they will open their eyes and it will come true.

I've found almost everything ever written about love to be true. Shakespeare said, "Journeys end in lovers meeting." What an extraordinary thought. I suppose I think about love more than anyone really should. I am constantly amazed by its sheer power to alter and define our lives. It was Shakespeare who also said "love is blind". Now that is something I know to be true. For some quite inexplicably, love fades; for others love is simply lost. And then, there's another kind of love: the cruelest kind. The one that almost kills its victims. It's called unrequited love. Of that I am an expert. Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other. But what about the rest of us? What about our stories, those of us who fall in love alone? We are the victims of the one sided affair. We are the cursed of the loved ones. We are the unloved ones, the walking wounded. The handicapped without the advantage of a great parking space! Yes, you are looking at one such individual.

life has always been this roller coaster ride for me.
there has always been these ups and downs.
i guess i can understand that it's part of life.

i've come to realize that i have done a lot of growing up this past year.
i learned a lot of new things about myself and the people i surrounded myself with.
i've learned that sometimes, the people you think you know, you don't really know them at all.
image is nothing but false accusations.
even though people can hurt you, they can only help to make you stronger.

trust your gut instincts.
when you know or feel that something is wrong, it doesn't hurt to question.

why is it easier to do bad things, than good things?
why are human beings more hurtful, than helpful?

people change.
good or bad.
right or wrong.
change is inevitable. it's something far beyond our control.
even though others around you change, learn for yourself to change your heart and do the right things.

so maybe things happen for a reason.
it's all part of the butterfly effect.
everyone is connected is small or big ways; in little or huge numbers.

we shape ourselves by our choices.
people make mistakes, obviously. no one is perfect.
but it disturbs me when people make mistakes involving others, like their friends or family to be hurt.
if knowing something is bad, but continuing to do it, you know nothing about change or maturING.

if nothing every changed, there'd be no butterflies.

xo.