Time does fly, doesn't it? Sometimes I wish there were such a thing as a time machine. But there isn't. So, I guess life must be lived without looking wistfully back into the past which is now lost. Only the present can be changed, and the future can be changed indirectly by what you do in the present.
This post is to be a kind of follow-up to my reintroduction post "This Is Me," which I created because it's been such a long time since I'd posted and so much about me has changed. In this post, I'll just be listing some of the most important, random events that have happened to me in the last two years, so that you'll be able to get to know me better:
- We moved. Probably the most obvious thing to mention is the fact that my family and I moved from Shannon County in southeastern Missouri to Marionville, MO in southwestern Missouri in order to be closer to our church. We moved on August 25, 2018, and at the time, the whole idea was extremely scary (at least for me) because I'd never lived anywhere but our beautiful home in Shannon. But slowly, my family and I have adjusted to our new home, and I no longer miss our old one.
- My siblings and I joined a homeschool music co-op of sorts. 'Tis a weekly homeschool "convention" (I just call it that for lack of a better word!), that has multiple student music classes for many different kinds of instruments. I was placed in two orchestras, and have had fun playing the violin for them the past two years. I also assistant teach violin there for beginner students. (Since the beginning of lockdown, I haven't been able to go to orchestra, which has been great—I now have more time on my hands.)
- I dealt with social anxiety, emotional turbulence, and minor depression. I still experience a minimal amount of social anxiety, although it's more like social awkwardness now than anxiety. (I'm definitely not a very talkative person, and if you were to meet me, you'd agree! They're just so different—communication via writing versus communication via talking. I lack basic skills in the latter, although I'm always trying to grow in that area.) Emotional turbulence (ET) is the cause of minor depression; I would define the former as a series of uncontrollable drastic swings in mood where one may be extremely sad one hour and then experience exhilarating happiness an hour later. It's really weird, and I hope none of you have had to go through too much of that lately. (Some may explain these things by mentioning "hormones," but I prefer to leave them out of the discussion.) I blame ET as well for the fact that I became infatuated twice in the last two years.
- I learned how to drive. I took some lessons from relatives, then a real driving class, then the permit test, and finally the intermediate license test, which I passed. So now, I know how to drive—just like a hundred million other Americans. XD
- My older brother got married. The wedding was in August, and I was the usher. I'm so happy for him! :) (He's a poet, btw, and can be found on Wattpad and Instagram, where he posts his work on occasion.)
- I opened an Etsy shop. In mid-2019 I came up with the idea to create printable quote art and sell it online, just as many other Etsy sellers are doing. At this time, I'd become acquainted with graphic design programs such as GIMP and Adobe Photoshop, both of which intrigued me by the potential art I could make using them. After a few months of preparation, I opened my shop HeartlightPrintables on October 23, 2019. And it's still up and running, with me still occasionally creating Christian and inspirational art for it. It's fun for me, as it is a great outlet for my creativity. :)
- I joined an online writing community. I recently joined The Young Writer Community upon my friend and fellow writer Havalah's recommendation, and it's been great. It's encouraged me to write more than I did, which is exactly what I've been doing! (In fact, the YWC is one of the major reasons I decided to relaunch this blog in the first place!)
- I started writing seriously again in late May. I'm currently working on a teen romance novella I call Autumn Love, inspired by Thomas Bergersen's song of the same name, among other things.
- My family and I visited the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum just last week. It was such an amazing experience! To ya'll who haven't gone and to ya'll who have, I recommend taking the trip! I love how they incorporate they keep a Gospel-centric ministry even while showing how Genesis is relevant and accounts the true origin of the universe.
Now that I look at this list, which is supposed to account the major highlights of my life, I realize it does seem a little short. Life, I suppose, is made up mostly of the everyday, normal events—not the life-changing noteworthy ones. I've been growing in my faith in God over the last few years, for which I'm so thankful. I've also grown in my understanding of the world. Also, I've come to realize many things, including how blessed I am to be who I am, and to have been born in the family that I was. It's amazing how good God is.
Of late, I've been considering college and applying for several entry-level jobs. (Eventually, I'd like to become a full-time author/freelance writer, but I realize that's something that doesn't happen overnight, and while practicing one's craft, one must support oneself.) I suppose I may take some CLEP tests to test out of some subjects eventually, although I haven't been studying for those lately. I'll also have to study for and take the ACT, although I'm not particularly worried about that, as my mock test revealed I scored 2 points above average. The future is scary and uncertain, even though I know I must trust the One who holds it in His hand.
How have the last two years been for you, and what highlights would you include? How have you grown, and what are the struggles you've overcome?
If you've read this far, then you're thank you so much. You're amazing. :)
