Happy Thanksgiving Pilgrims

So I feel I should blog before the Thanksgiving holiday. It has been awhile, and I have been busy with work, and pretending to study. I say pretending to study because I haven't picked up a book and really cracked away at the GRE studying.

I am getting overwhelmed with studying, and trying to apply to schools. I just want things to fall into place, like I remember happening when I applied to undergrad. The feeling of being overwhelmed is stemming from the massive change that is about to take place in my life.

I know going to school will be another life changing moment in my life. It was a big enough change graduating from Hanover, getting a job, and breaking up with my boyfriend of 4.5 years. Now that I have adjusted fairly well to that I am going to break the status quo again.

I have been thinking so much about the change that is going to happen that I haven't really taken the time to think about what I am thankful for in my life. I am truly thankful for everything that has happened over the past year and a half. I can hardly believe that I have grown and changed so much over that past year and a half. I am thankful for my friends and family and try to tell them weekly how much they mean to me. If it weren't for the support of my friends and family I don't know where I would be.

So what are you thankful for?

With Liberty and Justice for All

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2009/11/16/am.boy.no.pledge.cnn.html

The video interview above inspired me to practice my writing skills for the GRE. Please bear with me, because I have not written in awhile.

In Arkansas a ten year old boy refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance. He contemplated the meaning of the Pledge one weekend and decided that he would not say it until America provided equal rights for gays and lesbians. He goes on to further clarify that numerous other groups in American do not have equal rights, race inequality, and gender inequality. Since the beginning of time there has been inequality, however each generation will become more aware of inequality due to the previous generation teaching acceptance.

Inequality of race, gender, and affiliation have been around since the beginning of time. Pick up any history book, or the Bible, and numerous stories of wars over religion, and affiliation fill the pages. In the 1960s, racial inequality was at the forefront of America. Rosa Park was one of many people who took a stand against the racial inequality, and urged things to change in American. This young Arkansas boy is just one such example that will go down in history.

Each generation is more progressive than the previous generation. The Color of Water by James McBride is a beautiful book about a white, Jewish woman who was impregnated by a black man, and mothered twelve interracial children. Mrs. McBride grew up Jewish in the 1930s when race and religion inequality defined everything from the type of job you held to the neighborhood you lived in. Mrs. McBride's father owned a convenience store, and changed people according to the color of their skin. Needless to say when Mrs. McBridge ran off with a black man, her family disowned her. Mrs. McBride was more progressive than her father, and James McBride was more accepting than her mother.

If parents teach acceptance of difference America would become closer to equal rights for all. James McBride's mother taught him to look past the color of one's skin, and look deep, and see the person for his/her character. McBride tried to retrace his mother's past and came up short numerous times because of the color of his skin. Along his journey, he realized why his mother ran away from her family, because of their hatred of people because of external characteristics. Mrs. McBride was able to see a person because of what was inside and instilled this into her twelve children. If each generation teaches the following generation acceptance, America is one step closer to equal rights.

Inequality has always been around, and will continue to be around for years to come, but with each generation and brave people the inequality will become less. America may not see inequality in the next 50 or 100 years, but the steps are being taken each day. These steps may be small, but eventually they add up. Lao Tzu said, a journey of 1000 miles begins with one step. Prior to Parks refusing to move on the bus, and after the Arkansas boy has refused to say the Pledge, more steps will be taken and the journey to equality will be reached.

Lessons Learned

So Pineapple and Paisley inspired me to start blogging. I currently have a venting blog, which is more like a journal, and I don't really let people read that one. It is available, but it is more about what I am feeling and things people would typically write in a journal.

So today at work, my negative attitude has been very visible. I usually pride myself in hiding my negative attitude and putting it aside and getting through the day. This hasn't proved to be beneficial the past few weeks. Needless to say, I sat down with my boss. I look up to him more as my mentor, because he has a similar work ethic to myself. So I walk into the meeting very nervous, and wondering what is going to happen.

My boss and I discussed ways to overcome this negativity, and I learned a lot of lessons today.

1. I learned that I can not change people, only the way I react to said people.

2. Negativity is toxic to a team. It is very visible, considering I wear my feelings on my sleeve.

3. When I leave work, I leave it. I do not take the stress, and negativity with me. Once I am gone, I am gone. This negative attitude if held in can be toxic to your personal relationships.

The lessons learned today will hopefully stick with me, and carry over into this new person I have been creating ever since I ended a toxic relationship. I think the hardest lesson to learn is leaving your stress from work, at work. It is such an easy topic to discuss with your roommate, your significant other, your friends, anyone. For example, I went to a restaurant yesterday after work, and the manager said, "I am sorry if the music offends you." I rudely remarked, "No it was not saying hello how are you doing offended me." The stress from my day yesterday was too much for me to handle, and I carried it over to my personal life. As with any lesson I learn, I internalize it, and use it to make me a better person.

Here's to being the best person I can be.