kindness will always trump

only a in week three, and i have already some lessons be taught to me, that have really moved me and helped me move forward.

upon arriving in manila, i became very very aware of the kindness that filipinos give a stranger. from giving to directions to the nearest convenience store to offering up their home to stay. these acts of kindness of really made me reflect how we as an american culture, and how i myself conduct my daily interactions.

there were two instances that really stand out in my mind. the first being he morning after the one direction concert. as we were eating our breakfast this lady must have overheard us or wanted  to know what nationality we were.

before we knew it, we knew this friends story, we bonded over one direction. i think at one point i even 'bought' her an iced tea. As we were talking about our travel plans, she offered up her home (in another province). she didn't just say it, but she gave me her phone number, added me on facebook, twitter, tout, vine, linkedIn, tumbler, instagram, etc. just kidding she didn't add me on all of those, but she did give us her number so that we could call her if we ever needed anything.

not to mention, in a matter of moments, we ended up meeting 4 other people (all now twitter friends, ha) *see previous post

most recently, we took a little trip to one of the filipino islands. on one of the tours we were on, it was just us as this family. this family of four was the kindest, most --- influential people i have met thus far. this family was very God centered, wealthy, and just simply in love with one another.

after a day of our tour, island hoping, swimming, etc - they invited us out to a nice dinner. they were so generous and giving. they didn't have to treat us to dinner. we were to foreigners - and they took us in. not to mention, they offered a great of example of what we are 'holding' out for -- in a guy. they were just simply in love; and i think they also prioritized God in their life.

people definitely come into your life for a reason. i was discussing just today - how a large part of my trip has been the people i have met, got to know, and learned from. i don't anticipate this is the last of it either; and i look forward to what is ahead.

something to believe in

i have come to learn and be so impressed with the filipino culture. a large part of the culture is their religion. i came to learn quickly that a majority of the things to see in the city are cathedrals. but don't worry the did not let me down. they were massive and really beautiful.

we even got to see two weddings occur in two separate churches.

this is one the oldest cathedrals in the philippines. we made lots of friends here, many of whom were afraid of the camera. we also met this group of kids who took us to a wishing well behind this church.

but when all is said and done, there is only one church building that bring the peace and emotion that moves me, the temple. we've made it all the temples we could on our trip. manila was perfect. it was just so beautiful, and so wonderful to be in the temple with the filipino people.

the feelings, emotions, promptings, could never compare to any of my visits to any of the cathedrals. while in the manila temple, and the hong kong temple, we witnessed couples come together and eventually sealed for time and for all eternity.  what a beautiful sight to see new and old couples embrace each other the house of the Lord. 

attending the temple can bring peace, answers, but during this trip - attending the temple has brought me a sense of hope. 

directioners come together

im sure most people know this about me, but over the last several months, i have come to find a new love...one direction!

for various reasons i could explain to you why i have come to love these 5 lads, as they say. it takes me back to my nsync days, except it is 20x worse, cause i can afford to become obsessed with everything one direction.

including a concert in manila. this was my first 1D concert and it was one for the books. i've watched many a youtube videos, prepped by listening to their albums 24/7, read all the articles and follow all the best fan accounts on twitter, instagram, facebook, tumbler, etc.

but nothing prepared me for my experience at the mall of asia. we scoped out the situation the day before so we knew were to go and where to wait. as we walked around, our experience began. naturally we go talking to the other directioners. it was heaven! everyone there loved the same 5 lads! we got a couple of girls to follow us on twitter, as they were going to the concert that night (we went the second night) so they could give us any tips.

concert day. finally it was here! based off the tweets we got from out new friends, we decided to NOT go at 6AM, and instead headed over about 10AM. we made a bit of a mistake. everything had changed from the day before. suddenly thee was this HUGE line. but no worries we made the situation work for us.

                   
next thing we knew we had a crowd of filipina girls as our new best friends. on several occasions i fond myself running up and down the line leading the girls in one direction song, emily heading up the sing-a-long in the front, and me in the back. we had cameras on us, the crowds going wild. the girls helped us with our tagalog, and taught us the phrase of the weekend: FAMILIA TAYO; we are a family (one direction family).

the concert was a BLAST. it was such close quarters. we adopted a little sister, and we took care of her as we went into the concert and during the concert. we got really close, and we didn't have the closest seats - but, let me tell you  -- we were in the same place as one direction! i lost it!

at breakfast (at the hotel) the following morning, we continued to find more directioners. we bonded instantly, and vowed to keep in contact. there were lots of oo's and ahh's, laughter and gasping as we exchanged stories.

fillipinos are so kind, and directioners are united. put these two together and you get familia tayo. we reall gained so many friends. you have a common interest and you are always looking out for each other. my first 1D concert experience will be irreplaceable, because of each of the people we met that weekend.

eat pray love, se asia edition

over the last several months i've had to make a lot of decisions, which have led to a lot of amazing miracles and blessings, and the decision to take my se asian 'tour'.

i initially had planned on visiting the motherland (my mom's home country) for a 10 day trip. however, as a result of several events in my life over the last couple of months, i was able to work with my company and several others to take a leave of absence. honestly, this was the biggest miracle/blessing i could have asked for.

as i began to plan my trip with my mother, i decided that i would stay for two months, almost exactly. the trip has planned various events, excursions to concerts to family time.

over the last several months, i have come to learn all that 'in my corner' and rooting for me. and so with that said, i want to document the adventures. i'm already a week into the trip, and i have so many lessons learned, and people who have changed me for the better.

in preparation for my trip, and has event after even starting happening in my life, i decided to read eat, pray, love. now, our stories will be so different because i am in asia. ha! but i have no doubt that i will learn lessons that are just as impactful on my life.

rule vs. exception

i feel as though this is a constant battle of a single girl. 

in the very well thought of book of a single girl, he's just not that into you, the principle of a girl being the RULE rather than the EXCEPTION to the RULE, has been engrained in my head. as a result it very much so has dictated a lot of my actions.

but, as any girl would do you dream.. you wonder... you hope, that you truly ARE the exception to the rule. i do feel that hollywood has contributed to this hope to become the exception to the rule.

as stated in a previous post - i have been religiously watching a teen drama show. in this show the not so popular girl, wins over the star basketball player. the shock from all the popular girls that nathan scott would choose the "normal" girl, hit so close to home. it is what every girl, who is not a size 2, with blonde hair, and the most adventurous stories and experience, dreams of! or at least i think that that is the dream/hope of mine.

i think that i DO want to prove people wrong, i want to SHOW people that in real life, the exception to the rule CAN win the boy. 

Again, watching another teeny bob movie, the girl said, "you know what really sucks about falling for a guy you know you're not right for? You fall anyway because you think he might turn out to be different."

this HOPE, that the "basketball star" will be different than what his reputation holds him to, is so alive in, i think, many girls.

SO, my struggle with this hope is that it is just that - a HOPE, a DREAM, and the success stories only seem to appear in these teeny bopper movies/shows. As much as i think i am close to proving people wrong, to showing that i could be an exception to the rule, the RULE always wins.

now, i may seem like a debbie downer, a bitter and hopeless 25+yr old, i promise i'm not. i simply believe that it just means i haven't find my one. cause i think when you do find the person you are supposed to be with, that everything works out, that you won't be convincing anyone to fall in love with or spend time with you. to the wrong person you will always things of your self as the 'exception to the rule" but to that right person , you are just that the rule.

i will say -- that there is always that hope. should there be? should i let go of that hope? do you agree with this theory... exception vs. rule? 

wanted

i am not sure if anyone reads this, for the pure fact that i haven't been writing consistently at all. BUT i have had some thought and just need to put it out there.

based on the title of the blog.. not worries i won't quote any hunter hayes song...

I had several thoughts driving into work this last week.

i was watching the Samika vlogs (check it out on youTube) - and they just are so so happy! Sam was leaving on a trip and so they would be apart for the first time in 3 years. which seems so crazy for a single girl. ha! Yet it is so endearing.

As i was driving in, i kept catching up and driving alongside this car that looked like a cop, but it wasn't... but it was. As i passed by it once, i realized that there was a passenger in the backseat. And this point i realized that it really was a cop car -- but it was a cop car carrying an inmate. I noticed the passenger was wearing the bright orange jumpsuit. Now call me a softy - but i got thinking about this person. who he was, what he had done, who he had left behind. he didn't look like a big bad man by any means. he looked like any dad that would be on the soccer sidelines, yah know.

of course, as i drove i come up with all these scenarios in my head about this man's life. How i am sure he regrets what he 's done cause now here he is on a Friday morning, having nothing to do, but really the fate of his future could be in a judge, or really it has already been determined.

I've been on a teen drama show kick, one tree hill. HA so embarrassing. But i was watching an episode (ps... this show has also spurred all these feelings and desires to have the underdog win. Meaning.. the girl who doesn't really ever get the boy -- DOES. so on so forth.. i just want to be the exception to the rule). Anyways, in the episode - he almost lost his fiance. it was brutal! the fear of being alone, the longing to do anything to make sure they stayed together. it just really tugged at my heart. the idea of feeling that way -- ugh!

Then to top it all off --- on the radio, they were talking about this couple and the guy forgot or didn't do anything for his wife/gf birthday. She was dis-heartened cause she just wanted to be treated special.

SO, all of this together just turned my thought to the fact that we just want to have that one person who is your safety. Someone to miss you when you are gone, someone to call when you have something funny, or someone to talk to about your morning epiphanies. Maybe it's just a realization of what i've dreamed of. I think about my relationship, i just long for the opportunities that i could just tell him what's been on my mind. its not necessarily the thoughts that you are going to marry this person at all or for eternity, but rather it is that emotional connection. People need that; people want to be wanted, need to be wanted, I think.

When we don't' get that - i think we all react in different ways. That is part of the battle of life, well for me at least. how do i get along --- without someone wanting me. seems so brutal. but i guess a bit of reality. 

power of a hug

last sunday, seemed to be an abnormally busy sunday. at church i have had the privilege to serve in a capacity that keeps me pretty involved. so, as nature has it, some sundays are a lot more busier than others.

after an early meeting, i was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the amount things i had to do, the people i had to reach out to, and the especially the concerns i had of certain people. it was a moment where i just wanted to scream, i QUIT.

as i walked into our main meeting, sacrament meeting, i found two friends sitting there - it was my safe haven.

i don't give a lot of hugs -- i never know my boundaries, but i will admit i LOVE hugs. And in that moment, i just needed a hug from a friend. nothing was said about how i was feeling or what i needed. i just needed that hug.

i think it was that brief moment, of reassurance that no matter what was going on, it was going to be ok. in the end everything was going to be ok. it didn't mean that my day was going to be back to normal, cause it wasn't, but those hugs got me through the day.

even if you're not a hugger - look for someone in need. maybe that is all they need - just to know they are safe and accepted.