In one of my psych classes this quarter, one of our assignments was to read two books, one titled Ishmael and the other titled Man's Search for Meaning. I probably would have never read these books if it were not for this class, yet even though they were confusing at times, they brought up questions, ideas about life, the meaning of life, and made me think in ways I had never thought before.

In Ishmael, one point that is brought up in the text is about how animals eat compared to humans. It talked about how lions or whatever top of the food chain animal killed to eat, they only kill what what they are going to eat. In this way, there is always enough food for the rest of the chain. All animals on the food chain follow this rule. Ishmael went on to say that humans are the ones that break this rule. Humans kill more than they need. Humans kill for the sake of killing. 

Humans kill for the sake of killing. 

With the recent tragedy that happened in Santa Barbara, my mind keeps going back to them and this quote the last few days. I have really been struggling with human nature lately after reading these books and realizing how terrible things happen for no actual reason. 

Obviously, I know we live in a fallen world, a world that is not perfect, a world that has lots of pain and suffering. And yet, the question I find myself asking God is, why?

I think about Columbine, Sandy Hook, and so many other senseless tragedies. I don't understand how someone can actually kill for the sake of killing. My heart and prayers go out to all of the friends and families that have been affected by these terrible crimes. My heart hurts for them. 

And my thought process also went to this this could have happened in SLO. 

I think what is so sad is that we have almost come accustomed to these type of events. They happen way too often. I think we're all aware of that and I know what you're thinking, "Yeah Whit, it's true but what are we going to do about it?" 

I don't know. 

We can pray more. We can ask God to keep our families and loved ones safe. But we know bad things still happen even so and that's difficult. So, we bring in the next book I read, Man's Search for Meaning. 

This book is about the author's experience living in a concentration camp for over three years. The theme of this book was all about pain and suffering, but about how we can overcome through it and we always have choices to make even among the pain.  

One story that struck me in this book was where the author was looking back on his experience in the camp and his friend showed him a picture of a room filled with crowded bodies and not many beds. His friend thought it looked so terrible but the author looked at the picture and smiled, he said, How do you know those people are not happy? He went on to describe a time when he was in that very same situation and it was because he was in a sick room, the sick men did not have to work for a few days and they were warm because it was so cold out. The author said he was HAPPY to be in that room because he did not have to work and he was warm. 

It's all about P E R S P E C T I V E, guys. Can you imagine this guy looking back on an experience of being in a concentration camp and it is a H A P P Y memory? I can't imagine. I want his perspective. 

The thing is guys, there is always going to be pain and suffering in our world, and obviously the concentration camps were wrong, the Sandy Hook tragedy was terrible and wrong, and of course what happened in Santa Barbara was terrible and wrong too. And I still don't know what to say. It's so sad. 

But you know, God loves us so much and he is saving spots for us in Heaven if we would come to him and ask him to be in our hearts forever. I think that is what I have to remind myself when terrible things happen. Because someday I get to go be in a MORE THAN BEAUTIFUL, MORE THAN EXTRAVAGANT, MORE THAN SPECTACULAR, HEAVEN that is waiting for me with the STRONGEST FATHER who just wants to say, "Welcome home, my dear child." 

I love you friends, there's only two weeks left of school, let me know if you want to chat before graduation about anything and everything! 

xoxo, 

WhitNuggetts 

Wasn't sure what to expect when I enrolled in Counseling Psychology last quarter, but it is nothing like what I have experienced in any other class before. Today in class we had an Art Show and had the opportunity to talk and share about the art we had created. Walking to my car after class today I just felt an overwhelmed feeling of emotions for others. It was amazing/crazy to hear what some people have gone through or are going through right now. And even more amazing to feel comfortable enough to share with the class.

I think Alli put it a good way, she said, (along the lines of) "we all go through hard experiences in life and it just depends on what you are going through in the moment that shapes what can come out of this type of assignment." (she put it so much more elegantly) After letting that sink in my brain I realized that's very true. If I would have completed this assignment after fall quarter of Junior year I would have been balling my eyes out while presenting.

When walking to my car, a flood of tears came to me and I just "felt" all the emotions that were in that room today. And all I wanted to do was go back to class and hug every single classmate and tell them they are so loved. Then my mind went to the fact of how many students I have come across in the last four years and how many stories were in all those different classrooms. It's an overwhelming thing to think about. I just really realized that I want to live my life loving others -- I'd like to think that this is one of my gift areas which makes me want to embrace it even more so. Wherever life takes me, I want to continue to meet more people and be an ear to listen and to show them that I truly care about their story.

If more teachers taught their classes the way my psych professor has conducted her class this quarter, I think we might be even a little more in tuned with each other. I think sometimes we never go deeper than a certain line with each other and we don't because we do not think we know each other well enough to share these secrets of pain, frustration, and uncertainty. Those are the hard questions to ask.

I know those are not the first questions I think to ask, but with time and friendships that are created we can get to that deeper level. And if anything else, at least what we can say is, "My heart feels for you - and I am hear if you need an extra ear." Sometimes people just need an extra ear -- I know I need a couple ears at times.

And I have realized more and more lately that we're all just human. And we need each other. Life is too hard to do alone. But it's important to realize too that the sun rises and sets EVERY SINGLE DAY in every part of the world. So, no matter how hard one day was, the sun's going to set and the next morning it's going to come back up and we have a new day to make it "work." God loves you so much reader. He really does.

xo,
Whit

Who specifically goes to the library to read a textbook on reserve, but then decides to update their blog instead.... I guess I do.

Today in my psych class I was compared to a baby sapling. 

Instead of lecturing today, my professor decided to do an activity where she went around the room and specifically asked people where they were in that moment in time that had to do with real life not about school. 

When professor Barret got to me and asked me the same question she asked everyone else, I took a deep breath and talked about how much I feel I have grown in the past four years and how a new chapter of my life is emerging soon. And I talked about how nervous and excited I am for my trip to Spain. 

Then professor Barret looked at me and explained to me (and the rest of the class) that as a freshmen at Cal Poly I started out as a baby sapling in a little pot. As I continued to grow at school, my roots grew too. I was planted in the earth so my roots had more room to grow and flourish. Now my roots are deep and healthy, but soon I am going to be transplanted -- to SPAIN. But it's going to be okay because since my roots have grown so strong, they will continue to flourish overseas. 

I have strong, healthy roots. 

Roots in my family, roots in my friends, roots in Riverside, roots in San Luis Obispo, but most importantly, roots in an amazing father who will be with me EVERY SINGLE STEP of the way. 

Philippians 4:6 has been flowing through me all day today, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  

I am SO EXCITED for the next chapter of my life and I am SO EXCITED to see Europe for the first time. And I am SO EXCITED to meet the Smith family! And yes, the fear of the unknown, particularly, traveling alone, makes me nervous, but there is TOO much to be excited about to be nervous! 

6 more weeks and I am done with school and less than three months till SPAIN, Whitney Rose, what an exciting adventure ahead! 

And as Spain gets closer, putting away the "stuff animals" needs to be done too. In the words of Professor Barret, "You can take one pillow pet to Spain and hide all your pictures of your family and friends inside of it, but it's time for the rest to go under the bed." 

Didn't think I was ready for that and decided that tomorrow would be a good time to put one away...

Until I came home and found Mushu missing... 

Paige decided that he would be the first one to go, remind me to hide the rest from her when I get home. 

Well, cultural psychology is calling my name and so is the clock, so folks, I love you guys and keep an eye on your stuff animals and pillow pets tonight... you never know when a roommate or professor is going to surprise you and CUT YOU OFF. 

xoxo, 

Whitney Rose