Drawer Jam Relates To Life

If you know me, you are probably aware that I like to over analyze every simple situation to it's fullest. I have some shocking news for you...I did it again tonight. It all started when I decided to bake cookies...because duh...cookies create deep moments. Wait...they don't for you? Well, that's awkward.

Anyways..as I was saying-I decided to bake cookies. The cookies were finally finished baking..and when I say finished, I mean extremely undercooked (yum). Don't mind the conjoined cookies, they are in love. Ok..enough rambling. 

Once they were finished..I went to grab a spatula from my kitchen drawer. I pulled the drawer quickly and realized it was jammed. I continued to pull/jerk the drawer quickly and..nothing. Jammed. A few moments later, I took a deep breath and decided to pull the drawer very slowly..and wallah-it opened just like that..with no struggle. 

It then dawned on me...life experiences involve many jams. We tend to attempt to get out of them quickly..with no patience. Sometimes life jams require a deep breath and patience. When yanking the drawer..I rushed it with no patience or deep thought. 

Next time you have a life jam...inhale then exhale...and have some patience. It will work itself out and then you will be able to enjoy your amazing undercooked cookies. 

Food for thought? eh?

The Notebook...

I like to watch movies. Some of which I can watch over and over again. When certain movies appear on TV..I just can't turn them off. The Notebook is one of those movies. As soon as I see that it's on, I know that my productive plans have been vanished from my mind. If only I had read the book...

Many romantic movies involve someone that is torn between two people. Who is the right choice? Usually movies make the choice so easy. The director tends to make the choice so obvious by creating a scene that will eventually make one character more favorable. Movies tend to lie..they make choices seem so easy...so predictable. 

Some claim that The Notebook is unrealistic. I disagree. Noah and Lon were extremely different...but both great choices. The director made both characters likable. They are both romantic..gentlemen..hardworking..witty..and they were both proud to say that they loved Allie. It doesn't hurt that they were both attractive... 

The obvious difference is that Noah and Lon came from different backgrounds. Lon made more sense financially because in Allie's parent's eyes...their daughter would never have to struggle. Allie's parents had all the right to see Lon as the better choice. It made "sense". The Notebook is special because Allie's choice wasn't easy. 

She mentally and physically struggled with her decision. If she went by her logic instead of her heart, she would have ended up with Lon. The fact that her decision was so difficult..is the sole reason her situation was so romantic. She chose Noah. She followed her heart. The answer wasn't obvious because they were both amazing men....

In life...there isn't always one obvious choice. Sometimes...more than one choice could work out. It's okay to have several paths to choose from..even if they all have wonderful outcomes. Although Noah and Allie weren't perfect matches and they didn't make sense...they still chose one another. They were so crazy about one another...that they were willing to work their asses off to stay together...no matter the struggle. 

That is true love. 

...keep in mind..this mentality could be delusional...the quote "love conquers all" can sometimes be used as an excuse to stay in an unhealthy relationship. But this doesn't apply to this situation. 

My dear friend, Sean Wynkoop: "If she really loved the poor guy, she would have married the rich guy, skipped a pre-nup, divorced his sorry ass, then made him pay alimony payments the rest of his life so that Rachel McAdams could support Ryan Gosling. That's sacrifice. That's true love."

^Point well taken. 

Frozen Moments

It's crazy how a thin piece of old paper can trigger so many emotions. A memory can be lost for years...as if it never happened..then you look at a picture and all of a sudden your brain's filing cabinet reveals many things. My whole life I have always rushed forward...I wanted to be older...I wanted freedom...I wanted to be liked...I wanted to be with friends over family (friends that really weren't friends..) Maybe that's why I forgot so much...because I was moving too quickly. 

My grandpa passed away on Thursday. He was such a strong man. After several heart attacks and two broken necks...he refused to die. Once diagnosed with dementia..things started to go downhill rather quickly. No matter how much he suffered...he always had his humor and his goal in life was to talk to every single stranger with the goal of making them laugh or smile (even if it involved making them laughing at him...it still made him happy). 

In the recent years, I have been so used to seeing him feel sick and grow old...that I forgot about the Grandpa that I truly cherished for the majority of my life. Looking at pictures tonight brought him back. It's funny...for years I have wondered why my mom and grandmother never threw anything away. I am so thankful for that annoying quality after tonight. I found letters that I wrote to my grandparents as a kid and several photos that I will hold onto forever. 

• On the left is a letter from me telling my Grandpa what he can and can't do at my 9th birthday party: "List of what you can and can't do. 1. You can hug me 2. You can say hi 3. You can say hi to my friends. 1. You can't sing 2. You can't kiss me 3. You can't dress up as a clown." -Needless to say..I was a brat.

• On the right is another letter from me on 12/18/98. "Grandpa is special to me because he gives me lots of candy. My Grandpa is also special because he spoils me and gives me ice cream. He has lots of funny jokes."...again...such a brat and overdosed with sugar.

I would have forgotten about these amazing pictures and embarrassing letters if it weren't for my amazing grandmother and mom for saving everything.