A New Year, New Goals and A New Direction

It has been a little over a month since I have written. I want to apologize for all those who have kept up with my blog anxious to read my updates. I guess you can sort of say I went on a hiatus. I do not know why I stopped writing, but now I am back and I promise to you all I will keep writing even through whatever rut I am in. Whoever reads my blogs, or has read my blogs, I want to say thank you because you all have taken your time to read them. It really means a lot to me even though it may seem like something little. Recently, I was in the states celebrating Christmas and the New Year with my family and friends. I had the chance to spend part of it in Atlanta and the last part of it in New York. It was great to see family and friends I had not seen in such a long time. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays because it gives the world a spirit of doing good for a little time, which is sad, but also good. Meaning, it is sad to me the time has to last for such a small period of time, but good in the sense the spirit of it happens and people recognize it. Wouldn't it be nice if the world could recognize the spirit of good all the time? This is quite a wish. It is like wishing for world peace. It just will not happen until the Second Coming. New York was definitely different, but in a good way. It was sort of intimidating seeing this huge city with tons of buildings being closed in with such little space, but in a way it was kind of nice. I thought I wouldn't like the idea of walking everywhere I needed to go, but now having done it for the experience I can say it has grown on me fairly quickly. Despite the freezing temperature outside, something about walking to and from everywhere made me appreciate the world we live in a little better. It is nice being able to smell the fresh air every once in awhile, or having a closer look at our surroundings. Both Jolanta and I had a great time. We went to many mueseums, saw both Stomp and Blue Man Group, and had some good food; I think we enjoyed our first taste of New York. The apartment where my parents stay could not be in a better location. They live right in the middle of it all in Manhattan on the Upper West Side. Everything we need is right there and not too far away if needed to walk. The day of my departure from New York to India I was riding in my dad's company cab and had a chance to talk to my driver, who happened to also drive my mom after I was already in India. This story is one of those God-working-in-mysterious-ways kind of stories. Really interesting and sort of amazing. So, I had a chance to talk to him driving to and from the airport after dropping off my sister Jolanta, who was flying back to St. George for school. He asked me the usual conversation questions and I replied with the usual conversation answers, but the coolest part happened when he asked why I was going to India. I told him what my mom does and how she started Rising Star Outreach, why I decided to be involved, why I am there and how it has impacted my life in the few months I have already been there. He was just blown away by how remarkable it all was. I told him, "Well, it is to me, a living proof that God exists, and not only exists, but works to make his mysterious ways happen for the good and beneficial purposes for people that matter in this world." I also told him, "God never ceases to stop good things from happening; if this organization was corrupt it would have already fallen." He got more and more interested as our conversation kept moving forward, so I gave him the website address and told him all about how we fund money and help to keep it growing. He told me his financial situation was low, but he was eager to help regardless. I was just amazed at his willingness to help when he has so little, yet he is still offering to give to people who have way more less than he does. I was blown way not just because what this man was willing to do, but also because somehow what and how I was telling him seemed to influence him beyond reason to me; I could not understand how instantaneously he jumped for the cause. So, a few days pass and I get to India safely. Phew! I stayed with the Mitchell family for a few days before returning to RSO because all the children had not gotten back from the holidays. One of those days I checked my email and saw I had received an email from my mom. I opened it and about halfway through it I started to tear up. I just could not believe it. Out of millions of cab drivers in New York City how was it possible she got the same one I had? She got in and the driver told my mom he was honored to be driving her. My mom was completely stunned because she was clueless as to why he was so impressed with her. They started to talk and as the conversation progressed he mentioned he had driven me a couple of days ago. He told my mom what I had told him, and he said to her, "I have decided after talking to my wife I am going to send $35 a month to your organization." What a miracle! My mom of course replied in her enthusiastic reply, "That would be great!" It always amazes me how God works good people to help in whatever situation they are in. Whether people are rich or poor it does not matter to God because he does not care about position or wealth. He cares about good people with good hearts willing to give and help with what they have; when the day is over He looks at those people who have given smiling knowing we are happy just as much as He is. I just could not believe it. So, let me tell you all about what has been happening so far here in India and what I have been doing: I have been back now for about a little over a week; my mom is here with me doing one her lightning visits, which always lasts a few days; I have been chosen to be RSO's Athletic Director, which is by far the best job I could have been assigned here. I have to tell you all honestly life could not be any better at the moment. I thought coming back and transitioning would be tough because it would take forever to get me a real responsibility, but it took all of one day and now I am rolling quite smoothly. I have set up for myself a rigorous schedule to keep focused and disciplined to the max while I am here for my last five months. The schedule seems to be working, so I am going to keep following it. A new family arrived shortly after I returned with four of their children. This is the first family to stay in our new volunteer block, which was completed before I left in December. It is so nice! I am kind of anxious to move in, but I won't until after my mom leaves because she is staying on my side and I want to be spend and make the most out of the few days she is here. I love being here and I love what I do more than anything! I remember saying to myself when I landed in India after being home, "Wow! It feels good to be home!" I truly love it here. The kids are awesome and happy to be playing sports on a daily basis, and I am happy to be staying active and productive doing what I do best! I could not ask for more in my life right now. Now that the new year has come and passed, I hope we all have set goals to make this year to be totally better than the last. Writing down my resolutions was pretty tough for me because I have always been used to just "going with the flow" as some people call it. It is way easier to just go with the crowd and be a person like everyone else, but it means so much more to others when you are a living proof of something completely different standing out setting a better example for those struggling. Now do not get me wrong because I am not a perfect person by any means, and I am no person standing out, but hopefully in time I can be. I just thought to myself as I was writing down my resolutions that I can totally make the most out of this year if I truly put what I want into it. I hope we all made good resolutions for this year, and if you haven't don't worry because it is never too late. We can always make resolutions or goals to better live our lives. Do not ever think it is too late to improve yourself in any aspect of your life. I have been in both low and high places in my life; if I ever thought it was too late to improve then I do not think I would be trying as hard as I have been this year. It is never too late. I realized I only get to live one life, so why not make the most out of it by improving it each year. The things I write I tell you all not so I can preach or boast myself up, but to try to tell you all that anything is possible. If times are rough and life seems to be going against you well, you can either let it affect you in the worst way possible, or let it change you. I decided six months ago when I suddenly and unexpectedly came to India knowing I would spend a year living there that I could either dread each day of it walking through the motions, or make the most of it letting it change me. I decided six months I was going to let this experience in my life change me; I decided I was going to make the most out of each day; I decided I control my life and I let it affect me in whatever way I choose to; I decided no one else can choose for me how my life goes. All of these things you all are capable of doing as well. If I can turn my life around in a different way then who is to say you can't? Do not let yourself be deceived for one second because in one second your life can take a turn leading you down a road traveled by many people today, but a road I know you all do not want to be on. I have been there, and not only have I been there, but I have traveled pretty far down that road to know the things waiting for you are not as fun as the people on that road make it out to be. Let this year be a year of change for all of us in whatever aspects of our life we are struggling in. We do not have to change our life only because of certain extremes leading us spiraling downward; life can be changed for the better even if it seems perfect. I love, miss and think about you guys every day. I want you all to know I love being here and I love being a part of this amazing work. I love these people with all of my heart. It is like having a second family here being surrounded by such amazing people. Take care and best of luck to each one of you wherever you are and whatever situation you are all in. I love you all!