Rose Garden

Have you ever noticed that when a Rose Garden, or any garden for that fact, grows it will only grow with a mixture of sunshine, rain, and good soil? As humans we aren't any different. We only truly grow as individuals when we experience a mixture of sunshine and rain all while planted in good soil.
We have to be able to capture the energy of the sun yet also be able to utilize the rain to our advantage. In other words, when the good times roll around we have to capture every ounce of happiness and positivity that we can. On the flip side, when everything in your life seems to be going wrong we need to capture all that negativity and use it towards our good. While Roses may not enjoy sitting through the rain, they use the excess water to their advantage, it not only helps them soak up the minerals but they also use water to as a vehicle to transport metabolic products.



Why am I saying all this? Because if I could define my 2nd year in college I would say that this is the year of growing. I grew a lot as a person and am one step closer to being that Rose Garden. But I am not there yet. Mainly because I'm still learning to use both the sunshine and rain, both the good and bad times to my advantage all while staying firm in good soil.

This year was tough mentally, physically, academically, emotionally...you name it! I'm not sure how to pick up the pieces and start all over for a 3rd year. I know one thing is certain, I need to start making better decisions and develop better discipline. This year turned out far from expected and while I can blame it on several factors I won't. I will take responsibility for how it turned out.

It takes a lot for a seed to become a Rose, I know that. No one promised that in one day I would become a Rose Garden ready to take on the real world. Nope. It takes time. And "along with the sunshine, there's going to be some rain sometimes." I feel I've been flooded out though, is it time for the sun to come out yet?
-La Rhino

Life's a B!***

There was a time back before kindergarden that I thought I would never make it past 5th grade. There was just no possible way. The concept of time wasn't something I had fully grasped yet.

Now I sit here and type this, a fully grown 20 year old woman and I'm not sure what to think of it yet.
As I reflect on the past year I find it hard to say whether it was a good year or bad year so to speak. I guess we can't generalize 365 different days into being just one thing can we? If I had to sum it all up (even though we really shouldn't) I would say that the last year was a B****. It wasn't easy in any way shape or form. It was one of those times when you're expecting a fastball and get a curveball instead.

While life may have been a b**** to me this past year it was a beautiful b****. It was beautiful to see myself grow as a person far beyond the boundaries I had set for myself in high school, it was beautiful to experience the power of the Lord, it was beautiful to be able to bask in success after failing and failing time and time again.

Before any of these beautiful moments there were the b**** moments filled with pain hurt and a whole lot of crying but perhaps that's what makes the beautiful even more beautiful. Perhaps its the rain that makes us stand in awe of the rainbow.

I think my 20th year may be even harder than the previous for reasons far beyond my control. But I made it, I made it to 20. I sorta feel like Joshua taking over for Moses and leading the Egyptians into the Promise Land. You probably have no idea what I'm talking about in that last sentence and that ok but if you want to know ask me and I will tell you.
              
"I woke up early on my born day, I'm twenty years of blessing. The  essence of adolescent leaves my body now I'm fresh in. My physical  frame is celebrated cause I made it One quarter through life some Godly like thing created"      -Nas
-R.E.V.