1.) Seeing kids dress up for Halloween. (My favorite costume was a lightbulb. Seriously–too cool.)

2.) Hot chocolate.

3.) Friends who are perpetually positive–what an amazing influence to have around.

4.) Getting a new job.

5.) Hummus ravioli (a recipe my roommate found–absolutely delicious).

6.) Hilarious TV shows.

7.) Discovering hard work finally paying off.

8.) Looking forward to many fun events over the next few weeks.

9.) Having my weekends back.

10.) My sickness is finally going away.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

So I’m going to jump on the Internet bandwagon, so to speak, and am doing the “Things I Love Thursday”. I’ll be highlighting things I love about the past week…

1.) Talking to a friend who I haven’t seen in a very long time

2.) Getting visitors while being sick

3.) Dollar movies

4.) People who make me laugh so hard I cry

5.) Getting appreciated by a boss

6.) Receiving crafts made for me by the kids I work with

7.) My roommate’s cooking

8.) Bonding with a high school friend who recently moved nearby

9.) A good friend whose positivity is absolutely contagious

10.) Finally, after five years, being able to call a place home

“Man is fond of counting his troubles, but he does not count his joys.  If he counted them up as he ought to, he would see that every lot has enough happiness provided for it.”

~Fyodor Dostoevsky

My roommate is way into social justice, which is completely amazing to me. Living with her has taught me about numerous topics that I had never really thought about before. So today I decided to research more about one of these issues…

Most of us learned about slavery when we were in elementary school. Undoubtedly, most of us believed that it was a thing of the past. Hopefully by now most people realize that that idea is sadly not reality at all. Instead of going too much into human trafficking, I’ve decided to link some websites that explain this complex subject way better than I possibly could…

~Some basic information about human trafficking can be found here

~This is an excellent visual way of learning stories about “modern-day slaves”

~Human trafficking encompasses a lot more than people sometimes realize; there are several issues that are all entangled

After reading such startling stories and statistics, it could be easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. It’s such a big problem. However, please realize that every one of us can help out in some way.

If you have money…

~You can donate through the Not For Sale campaign, which gives you options of where in particular to send your money, gives you the opportunity to donate for a family member or friend

If you have time…

~There are several ways of using your talents to help with human trafficking, whether you are a person of faith, a student, into sports, any type of artist, a businessperson, or a teacher

~All of us are consumers, so that means we can directly help this issue just by using this guide to make better decisions in our shopping

~Become a “Modern-Day Abolitionist”

~Here’s some information to consider if you think you might be aware of some human trafficking happening around you

I know this is not an easy issue to think about, so thank you for taking time to learn more.

*The information found in this article was found through the Not For Sale campaign and the web resource humantrafficking.org.

Lately I’ve been thinking about my inability to change. I absolutely deplore when my life goes through nearly any type of alteration. In the past five years, it seems like I’ve had a LOT of change:

*I moved from high school to college

*I then graduated from college to the “real world”

*Some friends simply aren’t around as much as they used to be

It is my first instinct to hold on to the familiar, to cling onto what I’m most used to. I’m one of those people who is messy not because I’m naturally disorganized, but because I so dislike getting rid of anything that holds meaning to me.

But today I had a revelation…

*When I moved to college, I became my own person, away from my family and old friends. Plus I got to make a lot of new friends who I actually have more in common

*When I graduated from college, I felt a sense of total independence I had never known, and it made me realize just how much I can do on my own

*The friends who aren’t around as much have made me appreciate those who are so much more now. That acknowledgement of their importance is something they all very much deserve

What I need to remember is that resisting changes that come into my life is something that requires way too much time, effort, and stress. As most of these alterations are beyond my control, why am I trying to fight them?

From now on, I vow to be more able to let go when parts of my life shift and to look at every change as an opportunity for a new adventure.

“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”

–Author Unknown

“To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”

–Mission Statement of the Boys & Girls Club of America

Boys & Girls Club Facts:

~B&G Club was originally called Boys Club and was formed in 1860 in order to keep boys off the street

~There are over 4,000 B&G Clubs in the United States and on military establishments throughout the world

~Each B&G Club is unique in terms of layout, programs, and activities

~March 20-26 is National Boys & Girls Club Week

~Such celebrities as Denzel Washington, Martin Sheen, and Usher belonged to a B&G Club

How Can I Help?

If you have money…

There are ways to donate to the B&G Clubs by going here.

You can even donate to a specific Club using the form.

If you have time…

This is definitely a super fun volunteering opportunity.. The really great part is how many different types of programs and activities they have, so no matter where your interests lie, it’s a safe bet to say you could find somewhere to help with there.

Another nice aspect is that it’s really easy to become a volunteer there—you just have to fill out a short paper and then have them run a background check on you. If this sounds interesting to you, click here to find out more information about a club near you.

To learn more…

Check out the website listed above, find the Boys & Girls Club of America on facebook to become a fan, or subscribe to their online newsletter.

*All the information found in this article (as well as any additional knowledge you may wish to seek) is found at bgca.org.

Enjoying the journey even when you’re not sure where you’re going.