Everyone has a Story

Another week down. Six weeks to go.  

Last week in Psych we had a guest speaker who works with clients who are struggling with drugs and alcohol. One person raised their hand and asked this question:

"How do you relate to someone if you have not been through the same experiences as they have?" 

Our guest speakers thought for a moment and then one of them answered our question. 

She said it so elegantly and I'm not sure if it will sound the same coming from my mouth, but I'll try! She said that as humans, we have all gone through hard experiences and challenges in life. Because of this we can all relate to each other on that level. We can listen to others hard experiences and be there for them because at one point in life we were experiencing a hard time too. As humans, we naturally know how to listen and have compassion for others. 

On pinterest tonight I found this quote: 

"When you look at a person, any person, remember that everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed them." 

There is a homeless man that often times sits by the costco parking lot and I see him quite a bit on Sunday's when I drive to church. He has a a dog who I assume is his best friend. 

One day when I was driving to church I saw him with his puppy. He had an umbrella and it was over his dog. The rain came down and Gilbert kept driving. 

I couldn't stop thinking of him after that. 

Then one day a few weeks later I saw him again, same spot. Paige and I were getting gas. We were stopped at a red light, waiting to leave costco and I remembered I had a mountainbrook care bag in my trunk. Without thinking twice I jumped in the back seat, grabbed the bag, and jumped out of the car, barefoot. I ran over to my friend and gave him the bag. He was so appreciative. 

And I continued to think about him the rest of the day. 

Couple weeks later, I hadn't seen my friend in a while and I was driving home from church with Paige. Who happened to be on the corner that day? Paige had a care bag in her car. Into the parking lot we went and back to my friend to give him the goodies we went. 

I don't even know his name. 

I know God has put this man on my heart this year, I wouldn't think about him so much if He hadn't. One day before graduation I would love to go and sit with him and hear his story. We all have a story and I think sometimes we forget that. This man, my friend, he was a child at one point in life. 

Where is he from? Where did he grow up? How many siblings does he have? 

I really just want to give my friend a hug and tell him he's so loved. I want him to have a bed to sleep in. I want him to know that Jesus loves him so much. I want him to know that he is SOMEBODY. How many times do people like him get ignored on a daily basis? How many times? I'll admit I have done it too. We don't make eye contact because we feel bad, guilty, shy, scared, all of the above. 

I'm not writing this to make anyone feel guilty. I mean it's hard. There are so many people out there who do not have homes and it's hard to help them all. But I think what I have been realizing is I need to make more of a conscious effort to not look away, to not stare, to give them food, to give them a smile, to buy them a donut, or to maybe even ask them what their name is and just tell them I am praying for them. 

Because I think God wants us to buy them Easter candy and I think God wants us to love them and I think God wants us to pray for them. Because they have a story.

 A story just like us. 

And at the end of the day, even though we have not been through their same experiences, we have still been through hard times and we can still relate on that level. 

Pray for them. Love them. Care for them. Smile at them. We're all people and all want to be loved. 

xoxo, 

McWhitters <3

Homemade Bagels

This morning I woke up somewhat early for a Friday morning that I do not have school or babysitting. My brain told me coffee so I walked out into the living room with my curly q's blinding me and walked over to the coffee pot and to my dismay, the coffee fairies hadn't made me any coffee...

At this moment I hear laughing behind me with the words that anyone who has a hard time waking up wants to hear, "Looking for coffee? Let me make you some baby."

Thank goodness for Leah Shafer :) 

With coffee in hand, pandora hymns playing, and the shades pulled up, I set out on a search of pinterest to figure out what I would bake for breakfast. And then I found it, homemade bagels! 

Step by step, I mixed all the ingredients, kneaded the dough on the counter for ten minutes. Put the dough into eight equal pieces. Let the pieces rise for twenty minutes. Rolled them into circles. And now they are rising for another twenty minutes. 

Slowly my roomies rose from their bedrooms and bathrooms in wet hair, towels, and robes. 

I kept kneading. 

I know I'm weird, but stay with me now. 

As I wait for the dough to rise some more I can't help but feel this sense of joy in my heart. It's Friday morning, dough is rising, hymns are playing, and it's cloudy out. I know I say this a lot in my posts, but I can't believe that there is only eight weeks left of my college career. It's insane. 

These moments are special though and they won't always be here. I want to embrace everything right now in this moment. In the future, I'll be sitting in the middle of a little coffee shop with the ocean nearby, and three five year olds playing with chalk. And I won't be in Santa Barbara folks, I will be on the Southern coast of Spain. And that will be my new reality. Soon this won't be my reality anymore and soon school won't be here. That's crazy. 

Alright my loves, it's time to check back on my dough! Have a wonderful Friday and I'll see you soon :)

WhitNuggets  

Friday Morning!

It's the first Friday morning in a while that I am actually at home. Last quarter I babysat all day every Friday, I woke up this morning and didn't even know what to do with myself!

So, with coffee in hand, a sweatshirt over my night gown, music, and Jordan and Merry playing cards in the living room, I set off to brainstorm lesson plans. I'll be honest, it has been difficult this week in thinking with the end in mind. All I keep thinking is "I JUST WANT TO BE DONE." And since I am not getting my credential right now it has been hard to take education classes seriously. 

I just want to go on hikes, watch sunsets, and drive in the country. 

But there was work to be done so I did what I always do when I need an extra brain to pick, I called my mother. 

Twenty minutes later I was typing out ideas as fast as I could and preparing this beautiful lesson plan on Miss Rumphius and lupine flowers, nature walks, and reading. 

I was so excited. 

You know just because I am not getting my credential right now doesn't mean I don't want to teach. I have a huge passion for teaching and for kids. And I am REALLY excited about this lesson plan. 

One down, one to go! 

With my first week down, I am starting to feel anxious for this quarter. I just wish it could be an easy last quarter. But let's be real, I never have "easy" quarters. I wish it could be easy so that I have more time for the "important" things like spending time with people. 

And yet, I made a commitment to myself last night that no matter what this quarter entails, I am making time for the important things. Because it's my LAST quarter in SLO! And I need to go on hikes. I need to watch the sun rise. I need to read Paige bedtime stories. I need to go on country drives. I need to go on spontaneous beach trips. I need to breath. I need to hold babies. I need to love others. I need to laugh a lot. And I need to take pictures. Because God put these people in my life for a purpose and I need to spend as much time with them as I can before June 14th. 

I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to live in such a beautiful place. So blessed to have made the friendships I have. So blessed to take care of so many precious children. And so blessed to have learned and gained so much knowledge from Cal Poly. Because the theme of this year is "Let's go somewhere beautiful." I will continue to embrace every moment and aspect of that statement. 

Nine more weeks folks, it's crazy. I will be a college graduate in nine short weeks. 

I really love you guys :)

Whit