Spread Love Not Hate

There is less of a chance that I'll be bullied, and there is less of a chance that I'll be shot by a crazy person at school.

Is this what our nation, the land of the free, has come to?

The other night I was caring for a pediatric patient in the emergency room. For confidential reasons we'll call him Todd. Todd was a larger child (slightly overweight), but he was a very nice child. He seem to be a smart guy and understood the plan of care as I explained it to him. However, Todd wasn't like most children; he was being home schooled. Most kids would enjoy staying home for school, but Todd didn't particular choose home education.

He feared being bullied, and he was afraid of being murdered at school.

When I heard the words fall from his mouth, chills ran down my spine. Close to tearing up, I was stunned and didn't know how to reply. I think the emotions took over because of the sad truth revealed from his words.

Is this what our nation, the home of the brave, fears?

What happened to the days when children worried about what's for lunch and how long until recess? The world has become so black, so cold that kids are growing up in fear--it's heart wrenching.

So much hate in the world... NO, there is so much hate just in our nation alone.

Family movie night being turned into family death beds. Marathoner's limbs being launched across finish lines. Policeman's brains smeared across pavements. Seven year old student's guts splattered on whiteboards. 

Too real?

Life... It's real, and that's what life has come to. Our children's lives do involve bullies and school shooting.

Somethings needs change in order to transform the future. I don't have the answers, but Todd is a good start. I wish I would have gathered my thoughts that day and replied with the following:

Those are very real occurrences in the world that we live in today. It's saddening, but all you can do is be nice to others. A bully is a Big Ugly Loner Loser only Yearning attention. No matter how mean someone is, your kindness will always trump and your smile will always be more beautiful. So, spread love and not hate.

The change begins with our children because they are the future of our nation, the land of the free and home of the brave.

Six Months

"You have six months to live..." The words linger in the doctor's month. 
"No, take that back; this has to be a dream." The patient pinched himself. Nothing. The words punch him in the chest, knocking him to the ground in tears as reality sinks in.

It's hard to do, but close your eyes and imagine yourself in that situation... Now open them, and continue reading--pretty please.

You can really learn a lot from someone who is very ill or dying. I'm starting to think that nursing is not about caring or healing the patient as much as it is about just being there for them... Learning about life... Changing the way we think. And, it's about teaching other who are still living the things we've learned from the dying. I feel rather selfish because I teach my patients so much everyday, but I think my job has taught me so much more about life and living. Don't get me wrong... I do heal my patients, making sure their care is the best enhancement for their quality of life. But, some patients are terminal--they cannot be healed [physically]. I find this is where my job takes a turn... I'm no longer the teacher. I'm no longer the caregiver. I'm not a nurse. But... I'm a friend. A listener. The learner.

Death:  it's a powerful teaching tool for life and living.

However, I don't know why it takes death and dying to show people things about life. Maybe it's because everything else become irrelevant--nothing matters anymore... But the time you have left with family and friends... But living... And love... It all boils down to love.

I can't even imagine how it must feel to know you are about to die--six months to live. Though, I imagine all other life's problems are much inferior. A lot of us, most of us, go about life all wrong... At least until it's too late.

Ryan Gosling

Who cares about the latest gossip column on Ryan Gosling? Who cares about the football game on Sunday? Who cares about the new Halo game... A shiny new car? The newest trends? The next iPhone [that is exactly the same as the previous model with the headphone jack on the opposite end].

We all do... But should we?

I can only express what I know and have learned. I know there is much more to life, but it is taken for granted. We tend to rob ourselves of happiness by not doing the things we love and care about the most. We put so much hard work towards the things that, in the end, don't matter at all. I think we can all agree that life is about living... Being with the people we care about... And loving. 

Why not do just that?

Today, I challenge you to sit down and to think about life. Write down what really matters to you--what you value and cannot live without. What keeps you living? What keeps you optimistic? Whatever that is... I challenge you to do everything you can today in order to do it. If it's your mom, call her; tell her you love her. If it's food, eat! Give up your diet for the day. Enjoy whatever it is while you still can. 

You just never know when you'll only have six months to live. Welp, that is unless you're a Mayan. According to them, we all have less than six months to live.

Might as well enjoy it!

Live. Love... While you still can.

__________________________________________________________________________

Update: 

Life is going really well in Washington. It rains more than every now and then, but I don't mind it one bit. The people here are really open-minded and receptive--like that a lot. I have met some new people, along with enjoying the time with my friends already here. The worst thing so far is having a full bladder and cold hands. Or, having a cold toilet seat and having to... Well, you know... Though, I have noticed an increase in suicidal and depression rates here. But, that is not me! I can't believe I have been in Washington for almost two months already. I miss my friends and family from back home a lot. I can't wait to visit home again. I was hoping to for the holidays, but I'm the lowest man on the totem pole at work again. Grrr... That's okay... Soon! My mom did come visit me, however. It was funny. I was joking with her on a Thursday to come visit for the weekend and before I knew it, I was buying her a plane ticket that flew to Seattle the following morning. Talk about spontaneous and living life. I love her very much. 

Welp, I think that's all for now. I truly am bless to have a great job and a lot of great people in my life.

Rankin Out.

The New Normal

You know, the problem with reality is there is no background music to set the tone. At this moment in time, It's Time by Imagine Dragons would be playing... 

There comes a time in everyone's life where you learn to dance to a new tune. You're forced to leave the nest to discover a life of endless possibilities. I imagine this tends to happen early in life, probably about the age of 18. However, at the age of 25 years young, I have finally decided to spread my wings and fly west.

That's right folks, I'm moving to the beautiful state of Washington near the Seattle area... I've decided to test the waters or should I say ice for a bit in a place that's almost the complete opposite of Louisiana--a new climate, a new political view, a whole new normal! I'll have to learn to adapt, and I'll have to learn very soon. Ready or not, it's happening and it's happening fast. Friday was my last day working on 3 West [Renal/Transplant] at Willis Knighton Medical. It was quite an emotional day for me. I have met some truly amazing people while working on 3 West, and I have learned so much about nursing as well as life. However, the most valuable lesson I have learned thus far was revealed to me on this very last day of work. Upon walking into my patient's room, an older, lovely couple was cuddle up in the hospital bed. Ignoring the fact that these are small, uncomfortable twin size beds, I continue doing my morning assessment. The tiny, fragile lady asked if she should get up while I did my job. Though, it would have made it much easier, I told her, "of course not!" She simply states, "Good. We have been married for a long 48 years, but I still love being next to him." 

The soft spoken words sent goosebumps across my entire body. I want that, I thought; I want someone to say this about me. "What is the secret?" I asked... "What is the secret to staying together for so long?" She answers with the following [in a nutshell]:

There is not a secret. You just have to understand that nothing is perfect; nothing in life is free. You always have to work for it. Relationships--they don't come easy; you must give a little and take a little. Have patience and don't give up at the first sign of failure or uncertainty. Love a lot, and love even more when you are angry. Talk. Talk about what's bothering you. Listen. Listen to what's bothering her or him [she really said her or him, which made me smile]. You see, there is no secret; you just have to remember what makes you happy, and work to make it last.

I'm not sure what this means to anyone, but I'm know what it means to me. And, that's all I have to go on. To me, it was a relief to hear that a couple so happy and so in love say that they had to work to keep their relationship going. 

Nothing is perfect!

I'm not perfect, but I'm me... And, I'm never changing who I am.

A valuable lesson was learn that day. I don't know why it happened on that particular last day of work, but it did... And, it really couldn't have come at a better time.

As this chapter comes to a close, I feel nervous and scared; yet, I'm excited to see what the future holds. I can't wait to implement what I've learned.

It's time to fly solo.

___________________________________________________________________________

Update:

I applied and was granted a nursing license to practice in the state of Washington. I sent my resume in for an Oncology job at Overlake hospital in Bellevue, Washington. I had a phone interview with a really nice supervisor, and was asked to join the 4 West team the following day. I brought a one-way ticket, and I'm in the process of packing my life and moving--I leave on October 28th. This update may seems short and fast, but that's exactly how all of this happen. Very rapidly. A wise person once told me, if something is meant to be, it happens very fast without you realizing it... I hope she is right.

Until next time...

Rankin out!

Live, Laugh, Love In Time

As I sit here, I stare not at the screen to my post, but at a video of a person sleeping. This person is dreaming [of something heroic I'm sure]. As I sit here, I envision the magical ability to freeze time... If I had superpowers, I would have the ability to:

         a.) fly

         b.) freeze time

Time
An unavoidable progression into the future, transitioning present into the past events.

Time

It's ticking away. 

The end is near [or far]. When will time seize to exist?

I don't think there is a true predictor to how the world will end or when this will occur. However, regardless of one's believe, it's true to say that we're on the path to the end of our time. Once we exit the birth canal [or surgically delivered], we take our first breath--we breathe. From our first breath to our second, it's inevitable that we are on the road to our last.

It's TIME...

It's time to Live!

Be you. Be unique. Do something extraordinary.

          Being a nurse, I've learned that life is precious and not promised to anyone. Be thankful when you wake up to the new day.

It's time to Laugh!

Smile everyday. Surround yourself with positive people. Laugh until you cry.

         In my opinion, this is good for your health. Mentally and physically, I believe laughter to be a natural cure to illnesses.

It's time to Love!

Be you. Always be honest. Talk. Don't be afraid to be scared.

         It shows that you actually care.

The following tweet is one of my favorites:

It's amazing to me how our feelings divert our brain to the specific person we care about most. Tell this person you care. They deserve to know. After all, time is running out!

The future is unavoidable and the present will soon be the past. It's time to use time--to live. It's time to enjoy time--to laugh. It's time to share time--to love. It's time to make time worth our time. This is the beginning to the rest of our lives.

Be The Change!

As The Beatles once sang, "All you need is love, love; love is all you need."

Can you imagine a world with no hate? Think of how much stronger the world would be if we could all come together as one. No war or discrimination... The funds for starvation? A cure for cancer? The ability to live on the next planet?

Love could change the world!

Today on Twitter the following two tweets stood out to me the most:

I agree 110% with both post. Love is love is love, and no one should ever be deny the right to love. However, that is not the case... How can we strive for world peace when we don't even have our own peace in America. I want to love my country, Obama... I want to be proud to be an American, but how can I when there is the fear of walking down the street holding hands. There is the fear to love. There is governmental discrimination amongst the citizens. There is hate in the world...

BUT, I still stand!

I am not a second-class citizen. You are not a second-class citizen. It is okay to be yourself!

If you haven't been on Facebook or you simply live under a rock, I wanted to remind you that today is Valentine's day. I would like to encourage everyone to spread some extra love. We can't change people; they can only change themselves. We can, however, lead by example, and it's time! It's time to show your support for someone who needs you. Tell someone you are there for them, but most importantly, don't hate or discriminate... Because, the world is changing... Slavery abolished, women's right to vote, the first black president... And now, marriage equality! It will happen, everywhere... It's just a matter of time.

"Be the change you want to see in the world!" - unknown

Happy Valentine's Day, and thank you so much to the following people who went out of their way to spread a little extra love for me; I am truly grateful: 

Lucas Martin, My Mother, My Sister, Rachel DiBenedtto, Samantha Fisher, Mary Potts, Briana Felix, Nicola Piazza, Ryan Mason, David Brasher, Tiffany Phillips, Brett Schuhler, Hunter Moffett, Ryan Boe, Aden Hollowell, Brian Gelp, Rhianna Clausen, Heidi Hagenlocher, and Marty Hawkins  

One last thing... Check out Google's doodle for Valentine's Day 2012 [video below]. It makes me smile really big, and totally reminds me of me--jump rope and all.   ♥

A break up is like a broken mirror...

... It's better to leave it broken than to hurt yourself to fix it. 

Right now I’m sitting outside with shorts and a Washington Huskies t-shirt on watching the sunset. The lovely gradient of oranges fading into blues fills the sky. It’s so weird that this is what my January feels like—67 degrees. It feels nice! Wait! January! This is my first post of the new year... I better make it a good one. Speaking of:

HaPpY NeW YeAr!

Hmmm....

WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN!?

All the words I want to say are jumbled up in my head, and I don't know how to put them into text. When this happens, I usually just give up and say/type nothing... But, since its a new year, I'm going to try really hard to put my thoughts into words... 

To be continue!

***

So, I started this post yesterday because I thought I had something really good to say, but here I am a day later trying to finish the post. It actually feels like a January day today, however. Louisiana weather is so bipolar--it's ridiculous. Speaking of bipolar, my feelings have been running wild lately. I don't know how to control them. I feel okay one minute and then the next I just want to be close to someone special. Talking with several friends and people I know, they seem to relate to this feeling when it comes to relationships. So, I'm here to say to them and to remind myself... Relationships are like glass. Sometimes it's better to leave them broken than to try to hurt yourself putting them back together... The key word is SOMETIMES!

I have a secret that most of you might know. I am the most stubborn at times... AND, this is what I truly think:

Who am I to give relationship advise? Who am I to try to understand how you feel? No one but you knows what truly goes through your head and what makes your heart beat faster. Only you know!

Super Glue [some prefer duct tape] and band aids... It's all you need. Valuables. Priceless pieces. Irreplaceables [yes, this is a word in the Chadish language]. Somethings are worth gluing back together. Don't give up on the ones that make you feel. They are truly a rarity. So, chin up and in the words of DHT, "listen to your heart." 

This post goes out to all my single ladies; my single ladies [and whoever else can relate]... Hehe. But, you know who you are. 

When I see your smile and know it's not me, that's when I miss you.

Update:

I, @RhadCankin, have officially hit rock bottom... I have been #PeerPressured into creating a "Twatter." Follow me if you dare!

Follow @RhadCankin

P.S. I'm a fast learner... Look at that hashtag used properly! Hehe!

Advocate for Equality: Love Don't Hate

With all of the recent talk about marriage equality, I have decided not to type a post but to create a vlog instead. I'll stop typing now and let the video speak for itself. Enjoy!

Living Young and Wild and Free

This post is dedicated to the kid that lives inside me that will forever be young.

Recently, I have been doing a little soul searching. I've been thinking. Who am I? What have I've become? Where am I going? What is my purpose in life?

For anyone, these questions may prove to be puzzling. I don't even know where to start in order to answer them. However, while I was in Books-A-Million yesterday day, I adventured over to the children's section of the store. I started reading several books that have not only inspired me throughout my youth and adolescent years, but have also continue to inspire me now [books listed below].

As a kid we imagine, we create dreams, we play, and we are oblivious to the outside dangers of the world. During our childhood everything seems perfect. Our biggest fear is the monster that lives in the closet, who never reveals him/herself. Yet, we are still afraid of this unknown creature. However, the look in the closet from our parents is always reassuring and comforts us. As children, we know not the value of a dollar, but if we have one [only one], we know we are rich. The perception of children is so innocent. The world isn't black. The world isn't harmful. The world is perfect, unless we can't have the toy we begged our mother for.

Then one day, as we grow, we change. The imagination runs dry. Our play is limited. We no longer are scared of the monster in the closet, but we are defeating him/her for our own children. Worldly dangers are all around us, and we suddenly realize that there is so much more to fear than some imaginary creature. Life... It's scary!

Yesterday, after I read the children's stories, I closed my eyes. I imagined myself back in daycare/class listening to the teachers read me these same exact stories. For that split second I was back to my youth, and the world was perfect again. After a minute or so, I decided to step foot back into reality. Back into a world that's black where hearts are cold. The reality is we grow, we learn more, we see more, and we know more. However, as we grow and our bodies change, our hearts don't have to. Our hearts can stay pure. They can stay young. We all have an inner child that is begging to play. So, imagine, dream, and play! Stay young at heart. Share the love; don't take it. Do no harm. Forever young. Forever loved. 


Here's to the youth in all of us!
Q: How do you make a napkin dance?
A: You put a wittle boogie in it.

Recommended Children's Books:

The Giving Tree

          by Shel Silverstein

Oh! The Places You'll Go

          by Dr. Suess

The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse

          by Eric Carle

Love You Forever

          by Robert Munsch

If You Give A Moose A Muffin

          by Laura Numeroff

It was a dark and "starry" night...

... It was infinite.

If I could invent a device that allow people to travel to a place through a photograph, I would travel to the place pictured to the right. Here, I see a blanket of stars draped across the night sky--hardly a cloud in sight. It's dark; the stars shine bright. There are no building lights to pollute the natural illumination of the star's rays. It's noiseless. It's free. It's near perfect. It would be a place to discover an infinite moment.

Here, I would lay on the grassy hill, grazing the beautiful universe--counting the white dots that potentially connect us to another world. I would find the star that was the dimmest and call it mine. A light so faint that no one else in the world would know it even existed. It would be my star. It would be a special star and have a purpose in life. But, then I would wonder... What if my dim light was the sun to another earth with life on it? 

My star would then be a necessity for living beings on another planet. How would I be able to claim this star all to myself? I will happily share it with whoever needs it, with whoever wants it.

My star, this perfect place that holds an infinite moment. I want to share it. I don't want to be here a lone. I don't want to travel here by myself. What would this place be worth, if I couldn't experience it with someone. I want to share my dim star/bright sun with someone who makes me feel safe in this dark place. However, until then, this flawless moment will be frozen in a photograph.

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decrease by being shared.

If walls could talk...

These walls. As they stand tall, they know our secrets. They learn everything about us, but they're not bias. As they stand together, they protect us from bad weather. These walls. I wounder what they would say if they could talk. 

My walls. They make me feel small, but I feel safe. If they had eyes, they would see my love inside. They would view a heart that's true. My walls. I wonder what they would say if they would talk.

Our walls. They hold our memories, like a dark, quiet balcony. They surround the couch as we rest, when we're our happiest. They are with us when we cry, and while the sun rises as we Skype. Our walls. I wonder what they would say if they could talk.

A wall. I need one that knows me and that protects me. I want one to feel safe and that sees true love. I hope for one that will hold my memories and that will last a lifetime.
                                                 If only my walls could talk for me.

Healthy Mind; Healthy Body...

... Healthy Life!

In recent years, the most common trend sweeping the nation seems to be healthy living. If one hasn't said the following, chances are they know someone who has: "For my new year's resolution, I want to lose weight." However, wanting and doing are two different things.

Time after time, I see people fall short and lose site of their goal. Thus, I want to share my Tips on healthy living. I also want to add that this is my opinion and not medical or evidenced basic practice. It's simply from my heart and brain, which works for me.

My morning nursing assessment:

When I walk into a patient's room, I first observe the surrounding area. I look for clues to one's lifestyle, one's culture, one's health, and potential hazards to one's health. The lifestyle I live is that of my own, but the cultures I share are that of many. Though I'm Italian, I strive to be culturally competent. My health might be described as controlled chaos with potential hazards that could ultimately destroy my soul. However, the thing about health care is that we are always weighing our options--the risks versus the benefits. Sometimes it's beneficial to take a risk. Some call it careless, but I call it living.

Tip # 1: Focus on you; your soul. Care about yourself while caring for other. It's worth taking risk for the people you care for. This is good for your psyche.

Once I introduce myself, I then ask the patient the following four questions:

Can you tell me who you are?

Do you know where you are? 

Tell me what today is.

Are you in any pain?

I find these questions deceiving because I don't even know who I am nowadays. I don't know where I am or where I'm going. Life is unpredictable. However, today is a new day. Find something worthy living for. Everyday is an adventure--a new paragraph in the story call Life. It's an opportunity to do something epic. Pain... It comes and goes, but pain is what makes us feel. It makes us strong. It helps us understand pleasure better. "If you're going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchhill

Tip # 2: Find something worth living for. Even if it hurts, don't give up. It's healthy to stay strong.

I then look at the eyes for the pupils to be equal, round, reactive to light, and accommodation. I see a world lacking equality and more narrow-mind than well-rounded. The world is dark and cold. War is all around us. It's up to present to change the perception of the future. It only takes one person to lead an army--to change the perception of many. Why not raise the youth to love, to care, and to treat everyone equally?

Tip # 3: Be a good role model. Someone looks up to you. Create a healthy future.

As I place my stethoscope on the apex of the lungs, I tell the patient to take a deep breath in and out, listening to the air fill the lungs and escape again. My lungs fill with air. I breathe, but my breath is easily taken away by the right person. Everyday I wake up breathing, I am thankful because I have another chance at life. 

Tip # 4: Relax and breathe. Take time each day to focus on your breathing, but don't be afraid to let someone take your breath away every now and then. Unneeded stress in your life is draining and unhealthy. 

My stethoscope is then place anteriorly on the chest to auscultate the heart. My heart tells the truth. It knows my feelings before my brain can even comprehend what's going on. It becomes tachy [beats fast]. It loves strong. A picture is worth a thousand words [my friend posted the picture to the right on Facebook today]. "I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart: I am, I am, I am." - Sylvia Plath

Tip # 5: Love. Listen to your heart, express your feelings, and don't hold back. Everyday is full of missed opportunities, so don't miss out on something that's right in front of you. It's important to have intimacy and solidarity rather than isolation [Erik Erikson].

As I place my stethoscope on the abdomen, I auscultate the bowel sounds and ask, "when was your last bowel moment?" Life is full of crap, but I either take some toilet paper and clean it up... Or I plug my nose and ignore. Besides one glance from that special someone can cause your belly to tingle and make you forget all about the smelly crap. Haha!

Tip # 6: Laugh and ignored the "bull shit." Laughter, in my opinion, is a natural cure and main ingredient in health promotion. 

Finally, the skins is palpated. One touch can cause my arrector pili muscle to contract, sending chill bump down my spine. 

Tip # 7: Touch. It's a necessity to living.

When two heart beat as one, breathing synchronizes, and the warmth from the closeness of two bodies is felt, nothing else in the world matter. It's the feeling of being safe. The two bodies work perfectly together. It's perfect. It's healthy to focus on you, be strong, create a healthy future, relax, love, laugh, and touch.

A Cat's Gotten My Tongue...

... Or maybe my fingers.

Thus, it's time for a blog update!

See, a common trend in my life lately is that I have so much to say, but I don't know how to say it. I want to, but I can't because that's just the way it is for now. A cat's gotten my tongue! However, do I really have to say something for one to know? 

As many may know, I am no longer unemployed. I'm a nurse on a transplant/renal unit. Recently, I have been overly busy with work, but it's a good thing. I really do love my job and caring for people; yet, I'm finding it extremely hard not to get attached to my patients--I might care a little too much. Though, I can't say much about my job because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA], which protects patient's privacy. However, I will tell you a little story about somewhat of a love triangle.

Once upon a time, there was a man and a woman. They loved each other so much that they would do anything for one another. However, the man grew to love the best friend as well. The woman was happy for the man and the best friend's love because she loved both of them very much. The man and the best friend married and lived a long life. The three of them grew old and decrepit, but their love stayed young. As time carried on, the wife grew ill and was inches away from her deathbed. Knowing this, she told her husband and the woman, "once I'm gone, I don't want you two to be sad or lonely." The wife made them promise this, and when the light carried her away, the husband and the woman only had each other. Carrying out the wife's wishes, the two traveled the country together. They visited several historical places together. They did everything together. The old friendship flourished into a stronger connection. It was pure love--pure happiness. It was/is apparent from a mile away. The man realized that love is "unpredictable but a necessity of life" no matter where or how it is achieved. 

In this story, the man savors every moment and is very thankful to have a soul mate that will stay with him in his darkest hour. A best friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

Okay okay, I'm sure you have had enough of my sappy, somewhat melancholy mood. I just wanted to share this story with you. It gives me the chill bumps. It also makes me realize that life is unpredictable. No one could possibly ever know how it will end up. But living is the key. In time life is revealed. Your destiny will be present. The end will be near. Now is the time to live!

It's a story that gives me hope that true love and happiness exist. You're never too old/young to love, and "happiness isn't a destination, it's a way of life."

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Never ignore a person who loves and cares for you, because one day you may realize that you've lost the moon while counting the stars.

Right now it's a little after 1:00 am, the sky is beautiful, and it's 65 degrees outside--feels perfect. The world is quiet; people are sleeping. I feel alone. It's just me, the moon, and the stars above me.

Nights like these make me think. They make me wish. They make me miss. They make me wonder. What if?

I think a lot. I don't know how to stop thinking, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, thinking keeps me awake sometimes. I do wish my brain had an off switch, but I'm thankful I can't control certain bodily functions. No, I'm not talking about farting. But, feelings for example... If we could control the way we felt every second of the day, I'm sure most of us would choose to feel perfect. We would choose to feel safe. However, there are so many external stimuli that mold our feelings. It's the way we react that makes the difference. As much as people wish the world was a perfect place, I'm happy that the world isn't. I'm content with not being perfect. I like discovering the imperfections of the world and finding beauty among them. To me, it's the imperfections that matter the most. Flaws are what makes us unique. They are what makes us, US. If everything/body was perfect, how would we decipher or find value amongst the world/us?

Tonight I was on Facebook, and my friend Ryan posted a status (pictured to the right). Feeling a little nostalgic, it made my eyes water just a bit. However, it also made me realize that when there is someone in your life that you really love and care for, you shouldn't take that for granted. You should put every effort towards letting them know. Never pass up the opportunity because they might not be there the next day, hour, minute, or second. Things can change in a blink of an eye. The world isn't perfect. Life isn't predictable. I know it's cliché to say, but we need to live like there is no tomorrow. No one is promised the next breath or heart beat--life.

Friday I had a date with my mother. We had lunch at Notini's Italian Restaurant (highly recommended) and saw a movie. The movie was called Crazy, Stupid, Love. It was pretty good. I'm somewhat of a sucker for chick-flicks, and I love Emma Stone. The movie is an example of how life is crazy and not perfect. How love is unpredictable. How people see others for their imperfections and love them for that. And, in the end, things turn out how they are suppose to be. I think it's important for us to have faith that life will turn out the way it's intended for us. We should trust that things happen for a reason, and we should take every chance to learn and to grow as a person.

I think everyone should take the time today, tomorrow, and everyday to tell someone they care about that they love and care about them.

YOU: I love and care! $