This is the first picture I ever painted. It's not the best in the world, but I was 12 years old. However, that isn't the point.

       In this picture I see life and I see death. The water is rushing and reflecting the rising sun. It is very much alive and active. The tree is very dead. I remember when I was painting it, deciding to do the dead tree rather than one in full bloom. I don't really know my logic behind it, other than I thought the dead tree would add something more to the painting.

       This is how life is; there are some things in our minds that may appear "dead" to us, and may be better that way, while there are other things that are fully alive and thriving. It is how life goes and something that we need to accept. Just like the tree in the picture, I felt that it was better if it was old and dying, and sometimes this is true with certain relationships and situations in our lives.

       In my sociology class we are discussing the uniting, disuniting, and reuniting of couples in relationships. How often is this the case? And how often do we set ourselves up for hurt and disappointment by refusing to move forward in our lives, and insisting on living in the past? It is in our nature to want to be with someone and have someone in our lives. We worry, too frequently, about ending up alone or being dissatisfied with our lives if we don't have a husband, wife, or family by a certain time. It is in these moments of desperation and dissatisfaction that we turn to the past. We dig up old relationships that have long since died, and we do what we can to bring them back to life. Is it worth it, though? Is it necessary to walk down a road--again--that once brought us hurt and disappointment? I don't think that it is.

       I do believe that we learn from every experience in our lives and that we need to remember the lessons learned and press forward. It should never be the case that we turn back around to learn that same lesson over and over again. Trust that you will find happiness, and you will find it; believe in love, and it will come to you; live your life looking to the future, and the past will have no room to hurt you.

       Live for the moment, not the moments that have already passed away. Love your life for what it is, and you will eventually realize how much you love what it is becoming. :)

       Here's to living. Cheers! <3