TwoThousandEleven!

 Like this flower, everything is new, pure, when it hits midnight. 2011 begins, a fresh start. Sure your past is with you, but you're moving forward on your path. The reverse thing isn't how I usually do things anyway. Looking over your shoulder isn't healthy. Don't do it! (And it causes neck cramps!)

So it's going to be a new year isn't it? So long 2010, thanks for all the memories you gave me. 

2010 was, hmm, what's the perfect adjective for it? Unpredictable. It was a whirlwind of up and down occurrences and many smiles and tears. 

I feel like we all needed this year though. 

As a world, catastrophes hit us hard, but we're still working okay aren't we?

As countries, we battled our own fights in the midst of each other, but we're slowly recuperating aren't we?

As individuals, well, I wouldn't be certain, but I'm sure this year rocked us all. 

This year I started to figure out who I really am, who I want to be. The people I love and all those I know I don't need in my life. I survived loses, rose from fights, managed heartbreaks, and well I'm smiling again. This year was my first step to happiness. If I really depict the year, I can understand what things I need in my life and what things I know for sure I can live without. Maybe this year didn't come to the perfect conclusion, but as a whole, it taught me so much. 

One thing I do wish I managed to do this year though: saved the relationships with people I cared so dearly about. So many people this year faded into the background of my life, and I WISH they hadn't. Maybe that will be my resolution. Dig up those lost friendships. 

I met so many amazing people this year and to be honest with you, I have no regrets of 2010. Sure, there are things that could have gone much better, but they taught me things. Now, looking back, I have the experiences to go into 2011 making better choices. I'm wiser (though not totally wise) than I was, much more mature, and have a better outlook on the possibility of things. 

2011, I hope to worry a little more about relevant things than wasting my time on unnecessary things. I will hopefully improve the relationship I have with my family, and open my heart, allowing people to come in. Maybe I won't take down all of my walls, but I'm definitely making a hole in them. I'm just praying the right people will climb through. 
 So 2011: Me and you are going to be friends, okay? You're going to treat me well, and I'll be good in return.

Here's my little motto to help us get through the year, currently written very sloppily on my wall in magic marker (helps me truly grasp it, more personal, you know?). 

Grasp every opportunity with both hands, take risks, and forget regrets, or life is yours to miss.

So maybe this was a really short post, but I wanted to give whomever is reading, the opportunity to ponder their year and insert their own take on this reflection of 2011.
Just know, that this year will be better, because it only gets better. (At least that's what I'm telling myself! Staying positive!) 

I hope 2011 is a bright, blessed, exuberant, and impeccable year for everyone! I'm not promising no hardships, because we need them. We need them to make us stronger. So remember that we're given what we need. Don't let anything get you down this new year, live your life and live it happily!

Happy New Year!
Love,
Isabelle

You rarely win, but sometimes you do.

It's snowing like crazy here in New York! Brrr.

I'm so tired of my conventional, rambling posts.

But, at the same time, I'm quite proud of my dedication to this blog. Even though I have one follower, my stats are looking better, and hey, persistence is the key. 

So this week I've definitely gotten to know people in my life much better; mostly in the negative way. It astounds me how people can put on such an act when you initially meet them, and then their true colors shine through. I get so caught up in trying to love them for who they were when I first met them, instead of trying to decipher whether I should forgive their MANY faults and just dig deep and find all their perfections. Now, I know for a fact everybody has faults. I have so many, but the person/people I'm talking about have way more than acceptable. I'm deciding whether to confront them or not, but hey, for now it's definitely not my major problem. Anyone know anyone like that?

A FEW MORE WEEKS UNTIL I GET MY ACCEPTANCE LETTER! I'm definitely nervous, for now all I can do is pray. 
 That reminds me, I've been so neglectful of my prayers lately. I fall asleep before I get the chance. I need a good routine, I've yet to befriend this person(thing) named *sleep*. Please sleep, I need you, come into my life!
 
Oh, and I've been glued to To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Love, love, love that book! Once I'm finished with that, onto Palo Alto by James Franco.:)
"-I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see through it no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."
Such a powerful line from To Kill A mockingbird. Makes you grow in courage right when your eyes read it. I think all of us go through with things when we know we might not come away with the best outcome, but we do it anyways, because we see that golden sliver in all the rust. That one thing we want more than anything, though it's highly unlikely, we give it all we got and we push through and in the best of times, we snatch that golden sliver. Courage is beautiful. Without it, I'd be weaker than I was when I took my first breath. Courage has helped me to keep on moving, even when it looks like there's a dead end ahead.Turns out, it was just a hidden turn. 

Hope everyone's holidays are joyful and smiles fill you all.
Almost 2011! 
How time flies, but we made it through the ups and downs of another year. I've got a feeling 2011 will have it's golden moments. 

Courage and Love,
Isabelle

7 Ways of Looking at Christmas

Hospitality

Rejoicing

Joyousness

Festivities

Embracing

Faith

Yearning

A sudden vanishing of grimace,

Transfigured into amiable smiles.

The subtle warmth in the depth of peoples’ hearts.

Finally escaping its protective guardian.

Being shared with everyone who strolls by.

The reminiscing of years passed.

Sewing the separated fragments of families back together.

A reminder of the unfathomable love possessed by each member.

The ultimate teaching of one of the most priceless lessons,

In giving we truly receive.

The ringing of tiny, unadorned bells,

How the slightest gesture can emphatically change a life.

The red and green incandescence floating in the atmosphere.

The twinkling merriment in every child’s eyes.

A season of blessings and unity,

Along with nutriment, endowments, laughter, and desire.

Souls tied together over one common entity,

The majestic birth of a faith.

And So This is Christmas...

I'm terrible, but this time I'm not even going to waste time writing about how bad I am at keeping up with this blog! It's just repetitive and boring!
Well anyway, for whoever reads, even when I'm not posting regularly, I say thank you!
It's Christmas time everybody!

I don't know if it was just me, but this year I really didn't get in the mood, but that's okay, because I learned more this year than I ever have learned about Christmas. I was making up Christmas cards the other day, and I ran across this quote: "Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something besides ourselves." ~Eric Sevareid.

Nothing can get more truthful than that quote. Throughout the year, we're always just too busy. To busy to stop and remember the people around us. I mean sure, we remember them on birthdays and other holidays, but not like the way we remember them on Christmas. Christmas, and any other holidays celebrated during the month of December, bring us closer to the people we love. It's a reminder of the love given to us daily. This day is the day we can smile and laugh and forget the worries of life presented to us, we can give and we can receive and be merry and thankful. All the positive emotions are wrapped up into this one day, just like the presents wrapped under the tree. Sure, some people see Christmas as an obligation, but it's really not! It should be enjoyed fully. The love escaping everyone's hearts, the plastered smiles on everyone's faces. You can even find smirks on the grumpiest of people. It's one day, just one day to be effortlessly happy, no matter what. Christmas has definitely evolved over the years, we've kind of lost sight of all that it's meant to be. It's not about the hustle and bustle of buying the presents, it's about the looks on the faces of the people who receive them. It's not about the tree, but how we gather around it. It's not about making the food, but how we enjoy it together. It's not about the receiving of presents, but the receiving we get from giving. Most importantly, it's not about it being a holiday, but in fact being an anniversary, the anniversary of the birth of a faith and all he faith has provided to us in return. So on this day, the day we need oh so very much, remember the importance of the things overlooked, don't be stressed or angry, but smile! Enjoy yourself and be merry!

Have a very merry Christmas! May love be in your hearts today and may it linger there until next year!
Lots of Love~Isabelle

PS: A special Christmas poem will be up tomorrow:)

Hoping December is Treating you well!❥

"They say what goes up must come down but don't let me fall."

Merry December!

 (Pictured above: A light to warm your December and James Franco, briefly written about below)
So yes, I have completely lost myself. Well, not exactly, but lately life has just been a blur. School, school. Sports, Sports, Sports. Music, Music, Music. Meanwhile, I'm neglecting the thing I love the most, and that is writing. Lately, I've lacked in my concentration, due to the fact that I just can't seem to recover from my cold! Also, the fact that I don't want to disappear completely off the earth damaging my social life. I'm sure the majority of people can see where I'm coming from and know exactly how I feel. One positive though: it was my birthday Saturday! It's also the Holiday season. This year I don't want to let it pass. This season was my life when I was younger, the joy all around me. The way the cruelest of people allowed a smirk to shine through their darkness. I was elated, even though it was just one month, it lingered through me until the next holiday season! That's why I'm very thankful my birthday marks the beginning of it, but I'm not even going to touch on that since my birthday is the least important one this month. Anyway, it seems like life takes away from everything. The demands of people, and quite frankly the demands of work and obliging things scattered throughout our lives make it so difficult to truly appreciate the season and all the lesson it teaches. Today, I remembered the lesson of hope reinstated during this season. How we wait for that one day, or that one week, of celebration of everything that defines us as people. I also never forget the lesson of giving this season instills in us all. Sure, we do kind things throughout the year, but this specific time makes room for all of us to do something good. We do whatever we can allow, whether we give away old clothes, put our spare change in the Salvation Army buckets, or just smile at our neighbors; on a whole we possess much more hospitality.
I sometimes wonder why all year can't be like this, but that's asking for too much. As humans, our capability to be excessively kind every moment of our lives is low. It's almost impossible due to all the temptations around us, but somehow, the month of December unites us together, resisting those temptations, so we can just be happy. So we can just smile. Though, it would be stupendous to have that feeling all year long, all we can ask is that we are given the chance to experience it for one month. We need to cherish it, and appreciate it, and not let it pass us by. When beautiful opportunities are given to us, we should take them, especially when it gives us the need to celebrate!

Okay so that was my little holiday segment, let me update you on my week. James Franco, that's all I have to say. That man is so driven and participates in numerous activities. He truly is one of my biggest inspirations currently alive. I've been watching so many interviews of his and reading them as well, he's so assertive and articulate and yet enjoyable to listen to. Besides for that, he accomplishes what he sets his mind to. He's so driven and that's one of my goals. I want to be someone, not just anyone. I've never been the person to do the average, but go beyond. (Well, not in everything because some things I just really can't do: singing and drawing for example.) My point of mentioning James is that he helps me see what path I want to travel and who I want to become. Now, since I'm recently one year older, I need to get a move on it!

Tomorrow, I will be posting! Promise. Already have my idea:) It's about falling! Oh, and this month I have a Christmas poem prepared and for everyone not celebrating Christmas, I hope your holiday is filled with love and happiness as well! Best wishes and have a wonderful day, sorry for my unnecessary rants, but hey, at least I'm writing!