A Very Lucky Girl

Shamrocks, rainbows, and leprechauns, oh my! Did I fall into a bowl of Lucky Charms? Nope, just dipped my toes into Dublin and the rest of Ireland over the weekend. I say dipped because one measly weekend is not enough for the breathtaking beauty I witnessed. I could use at least a week of leprechaun love. There were about 15 of us that traveled to Dublin on Friday night and we checked into a hostel I had researched located on the outskirts of the Temple Bar (aka year-round St. Patrick's Day celebration) district. It's called Kinlay House and I hesitate to recommend it to anyone else. The proximity to everything we wanted was excellent, however, the Wifi was awfully temperamental, the heat in at least two of the rooms was nonexistent, and only frigid water flowed in the showers. I managed one shower on Saturday evening, bending my back in such a way so that only my head was doused in the icy cascade. The tundra water elicited shrieks and shivers from Nat on my left side and Kyl...

Conflicts are not my forte; I don't like feeling at odds with another human being. But I've learned through the years that relationships grow through disagreement. I found a journal entry from about a year ago documenting one of my first fights with Tyler. After all was said and done, I ended with, "I love solving problems with him." Because I do love the aftermath of a good fight. Whether with a significant other or a friend, conflict makes for furthered communication. LifeChurch taught on disagreement during their marriage series last summer and I took away a big lesson from it, despite being unmarried. I should never fight to WIN, I should fight to RESOLVE. I should fight for a relationship, not for the upper hand. Pride often makes me want to be RIGHT. But being right isn't the point, being reconciled is a far greater goal.  Conflict is healthy. It indicates growth and personality. I am never, ever going to agree with everyone about everything. It's just...

"Don't act like you suddenly have self-respect" A guy said this to me last semester. I'm not proud of my reaction (think words that sound similar to "kung fu" and a choice hand gesture), but I was stunned at the effect his words had on me. I don't respect him, I don't think he has anything of value to ever say, yet this phrase still haunts me if I'm not careful. Unharnessed, it can reverberate in my mind, crowding all sensible thought. I know I have self-respect. I've proven it to myself over and over again, especially in the past few months with the choices I've made. JK (even his initials are a complete joke) inadvertently issued me a challenge.  Oh, you think I lack self-respect? Watch this. Challenge Accepted, A Very Lucky (and self-respecting) Girl.