CRUSHED alive

just a quick note:
after writing this, i then realized how heavy it is. i don't usually have posts like this, but it is something that has been on my mind. i don't touch on all the reasons these things happen, but rather, i maintain a level of simplicity. i took this stand because when dealing with our very real societal concerns, sometimes it is necessary to look at through a different lens. 


i am around children everyday and what captures me the most is their overwhelming zest. their spirit and passion for life is immeasurable. they are so innocent. they are eager. excited. happy. thoughtful. silly. kind. inquisitive. compassionate.

then life happens.

life and exposure to our world slowly crushes these amazing characteristics of a child. of course, there are people in this world who possess these qualities, but not like when they were a child. not like when they truly did not care what others thought. not like when others did not shame them. not like when nothing else mattered.

the world changes us.

as i sit here and ponder this complex, yet simple notion, i wonder - can we avoid having the world change us? is it better that this cruel, challenging, true, and harsh world changes us?

is it better that people cannot manage the emotions that come with getting fired from a job so they return to that job and simply start killing people?
is it better that being transferred to a new job is difficult to deal with so the immediate solution seems to be to set fire to a local air traffic control center?

events are constantly happening in our country that shed light on people struggling with life. as of late, there are so many times that a person cannot handle life and the emotions it throws at them. they end up lashing out in very permanent ways.
the typical human life includes things like school, work, church [for some], obtaining food [groceries, restaurants], travel. all of these places require us to interact with each other. because these places are so necessary to survival, it seems fitting that they should be safe. we are far past the days of the cavemen. our lifestyle, especially in first-world america, is not based the evolutionary idea of "survival of the fittest". we are not fighting each other for resources. in fact, we have an abundance of everything we could possibly need. so much so that we often throw away things that others could use [food, clothes, household supplies].
since our primary concern is not the battle for resources, the places that we frequent for survival [work, school, places with food], should be safe. for them not to be is fundamentally wrong.
we must work everyday to earn money to pay for the food and the house we live it. work is necessary for survival in our first-world society. we must go to school everyday. education is required by law [until a certain age] and it fosters employment opportunities, which helps pay for the food and house. we must eat to live - that is basic biology. all of these things we must do in order to survive [and then to be successful] in our society. because these things are necessary, they should be safe. since we all must do them, and do them together - it should be safe. our schools, workplaces, stores, parks - none of theses places are a battleground. we are not at war.
we should not fear these places because of another person's emotions, difficult circumstances, or mismanaged situations.
we should be safe. so that we can survive.

in it's most simplest form, we all are just trying to survive life. what we do with this life is what makes it special. our chance at survival should not be affected because another person didn't want a chance at theirs.

how did we get to this point?

it's whenever that five-year-old lost their sparkle.
when the world took over and crushed that sweet, hopeful spirit.

xoxo,
ks

BIRTHDAY!!

december 12th is a very special day.

it is my sweetie's birthday.

when keith and i started dating, we quickly realized that our birthdays are only 3 days apart [mine is the 15th]. this is one of the many ways that we know we are meant for each other.
every year we get to celebrate OUR birthdays together. because they are only 3 days apart. so, really we have no other choice. our birthdays are very special to us, yet never really a big deal.

this year, i would like to share this blog with you about the amazing man i am lucky enough to spend my days with. december 12th is his special day. and i am so grateful that i get to share it with him.

keith is kind. compassionate. caring. loud. silly. selfless. motivated. successful. loving. committed. wonderful. comforting. protector. guardian. the love of my life.

keith and i have been together for eight years. and from our first date i knew he was the guy i was going to marry. how many people get to experience that kind of love?

we have been on wild and crazy adventures [our hockeymoon. a trip to the DR. graduate school. countless trips to OBX. and we've moved so many times i have lost count on purpose]. our life together is an adventure. we thrive on finding our next adventure, no matter how big or how small. we love living out our adventures together.

we are beyond ridiculous and silly together. if you have spend any amount of time with us, you know this. we laugh at things that aren't worth laughing at. we find humor in the small stuff. we make absurd jokes. basically, we just have fun. it definitely makes life better. and our life together is worlds better when we are laughing together [this also usually means i am crying and my abs hurt].

we have been on many roller-coasters together. life isn't always wonderful and smiles. life gets tough sometimes. jobs change. medical conditions can be a bitch. money is never enough. but at the end of the day, we are together 100%. we are in this journey together, no matter what the weather. 

our love is serious. seriously. we seriously love each other. we are committed to each other. to our dreams. to our successes. to our health. to our tribulations. to our feelings. to our good times. to our bad times. our love is the real deal.

there is no other person i would want to share this life with. i am so lucky to be your wife, your partner, and your companion. to walk through this life, by your side, hand-in-hand. [ok, but let's be serious, we are probably running through this life, not walking. perhaps we should try to slow down?]

i cannot tell you how grateful and thankful i am for you. for your unconditional love. you brighten my days and make every day a better one.

happy birthday my sweet love. i am so excited to share your day with you!! 

love you,
ks

sunday thoughts

just some of my thoughts on this sunday...


smartphones annoy me. don't get me wrong i love my iPhone with the rest of you, but what annoys me with smartphones is how they have amplified our need for instant gratification. during conversation with people we often struggle with remembering basic facts or making a decision (restaurants, purchases); or we feel compelled to share a video we watched five minutes earlier.
no problem, i have a smartphone. google can help me with all of those problems. and also while my smartphone is helping me remember who the 37th president was, it also has now stifled the conversation we were having about nixon. because i can't possibly look up information on my phone and pay attention to you anymore. basically the smartphone allows me to politely say "go fuck yourself" or "i'm done talking to you" without actually having to say anything. smartphones allow us to be rude. and most of the time without realizing it. we just stop talking to "google" something. or turn on an obnoxious video of a dancing cat that has now disrupted the entire coffee shop.
thank you smartphone.

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work is a part of life. work is a huge part of life. we must work to live. it is how we earn money. we must have money to survive. in my 15+ years of working, what i have yet to understand is why people continue to work in a job they hate/are no good at.
i understand there may be times in your life where money is more important than meaning or happiness at work. sometimes we have to work to live and that doesn't necessary include doing what we love. however, it can't be that way all the time. i could never imagine having a job that i hated. or even a job that i didn't like. if you are going to devote your time to something, shouldn't you enjoy doing it? and if you are going to devote your time to something 20-40 hours/week, shouldn't you utilize the skills/degrees/education/experiences/passions you have? if you are going to commit to allowing someone to pay you for your service, shouldn't you be good at it? and shouldn't it be something you enjoy doing?
because if you love going to work everyday, don't you think you'd enjoy it more and do a wayyyyy better job at it than if you HATED it?
could you imagine having a job where you are always searching for friday?
i would loathe that.
i am passionate about many things. and i want to spend my life doing them. i don't want to waste my time (or someone else's money) doing something i don't love.
what a waste of this life.


xoxo,
ks