Worry Not

 This week I decided to go back to my childhood and watch The Lion King. It’s a lovely little story about a young lion growing up to be a manly lion. At one point in the story Simba, the main lion, is having a really tough time. His father has just been murdered by his uncle, and Simba has been blamed for his murder! However, all hope is not lost! A warthog, Pumba, and a mercat, Timon, help Simba to realize that everything will be alright. They tell him, “Hakuna Matata. It means no worries.” This is a good philosophy to model your life after. It does no good to excessively worry. All it does is increase you stress level…often for no good reason. Most often it’s better to just relax. Over the last few months I have been worrying far more than is healthy.
 Graduation is an amazing time in a senior’s life. It’s a time for growth and expression. So far, mine hasn’t been. I have been so stressed about finding money for college, and I have been worrying about what is going to happen to my family when I go away to college. Needless to say my senior year hasn’t been the carefree existence it was supposed to be. Then one fine, cold winter day my grandpa pulled me aside at a family gathering. He told me not to worry so much. He also told me, “You’re a smart and strong young women. Try not to worry. I know you’ll figure it out.” That was when I decided to quit stressing about what my life will be and focus on what it is. It has improved my life so much! I have had more fun since then: hanging out with my friends, watching movies, listening to music. I’m just trying to enjoy doing “normal” kid stuff. Sure enough I figured out what to do with my life shortly after that talk with my grandpa. All the worry and stress just clouded my brain to the obvious answer. Now my senior life is more enjoyable, and I managed to get rid of that pesky stomach ache. Life is good. :)
 So, here is the lesson this week: it doesn’t help to worry. When all you focus on is what is to come
you forget about what is. This is a crucial time in our lives. Seniors I mean. We are about to start a new chapter in our lives, but before we do we have to enjoy our last few months in high school. This is the last time we will be this carefree and wild! We should enjoy it while it lasts. Worrying takes away from the joy of these months. Things will work out, and the solution is probably right there in front of you if only you would relax. It is like our English teacher says, “Choose the joy!” If we do that life will run a bit smoother.

What You Say

This week I have spent quite a bit of time in my car. One night on my way home I heard a song that got me thinking. The song is called A Million Lives by Jake Miller. The entire song is about how his words have touched the lives of his fans. He says:

I've met a million people, been a million places
Shook a million hands, seen a million faces
I've had a million lows, and a million more highs
No I haven't made a million, but I've touched a million lives

His song really makes sense to me. In the world today you just never know how your words are going to affect the people you come into contact with. I have experienced this first hand. Last summer I went to an amazing camp called Chapel Rock. It’s a church camp that I have attended for eight summers and is my favorite place to be. That summer I rediscovered God, and that’s a really big deal for me. It wasn’t just the camp that inspired me. It was my cabin counselor.
One night during cabin time, which is a time when we answer some seriously tough, emotional questions, we had to talk about why we were there that week. I spoke about how I finally wanted to have a relationship with God, but I felt like I couldn’t really trust Him. I felt that way because of the things that had happened to me as a kid. Chelsea, my counselor, looked at me and smiled. She told me that she had a similar situation, but she told me that God never gives us something we can’t handle. Then she said something that I now live by. She quoted the Bible, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)” It was a conversation that changed my entire perception on life and faith. Chelsea may not know it, but her words changed my life spiritually. Anything we say can change someone or inspire them.
Of course this means that we must be careful with what we say. Our words can have a positive and lasting effect on people, but I can also be negative and hurtful. It may be hard to believe, but there was a time when I was a very negative person. I hated the world and every living thing on it, and that attitude started to affect the people I love most. During one summer, my sister screamed at my brother when they were playing in the pool. She had taken the only inflatable bed from him while he was still on it. When he protested she told him, “Life sucks and then you die, Jonah!” I couldn’t believe what I had heard. My little sister, only ten years old, was as negative as I was, and I hated it. From then on I tried to be more positive, and I attempted to show my sister that life was wonderful. I also learned what an impact my words could have on others. Here is the lesson this week: watch what you say even when you think no one is listening. Your words have the potential to inspire or to destroy, so make them count and make them inspirational.