One of my heros is....

One of my heros is Nelson Mandela. He is one amazing and inspiring person. My favorite quote from him is, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us." This is very true, we are not afraid or intimidated by things that we are unaware of, but we are very fearful of that which we do know. To me Mr. Mandela has the ability to uderstand humanity and people. Not just the facts and figures, but he figured out the inner truths of society that very few realized before him.

My perfect spring day outside....

I love the spring time. The weather is amazing and the trees are beautiful. My perfect day in the spring would be to go hiking. I love to hike, and the spring is generally the best time to go. I like the swamp forest trail in Lum's Pond. Its a relaxing hike and is a moderate distance. It is just over 7 miles, and is an inspiring way to experience nature and reflect. If I had my choice after hiking I would go paint balling. It is really fun, and only slightly dangerous. That would be my perfect day in the springtime.

why my life is complicated...

I am 21 years old, and have many responsibilities. I am the oldest of five, the youngest just turned 6. My house can be a zoo at times with so many kids, not to mention trying to get studying done. I was injured in the Marine corps and am still responsible to them, which includes numerous doctor visits, and meetings. At any given time I have at least two friends deployed to a war zone, and struggle to maintain contact and keep care packages going. I work as a bartender, which has long hours and can involve some overly friendly guests. I travel to visit my friends where they are stationed, but with work and school, trips are getting less frequent. Overall I would say that my life is average. Not that my responsibilities are common, but that the amount of responsibilities for most people my age are parallel to mine.

The most unforgettable person in my life is...

There are two people in my life that I rely on constantly. The first being my father. He is my role model and rock. My daddy has been there for me through every up and down imaginable. He wrote to me every day while I was in boot camp, and sent me sudoku puzzles so I wouldn't loose all of my wits. My daddy has accompanied me to the emergency room 13 times, and nursed me back to health every time. He is almost my complete opposite. He is introverted and quiet, whereas I can't stop talking and thrive when near others. He is calm and calculated, whereas I am sporadic and anxious all of the time. Regardless my dad raised me to be honest and true to my beliefs. He is a liberal and I am a conservative, but he loves the debates we can have, and respects my values.

The second person I rely on is my best friend Emily. Emily and I have always been there for each other, through bad boyfriends, graduations, our boyfriends' deployments, and everything in between. Emily and I talk every day about everything. She, like my father is incredibly intelligent, and driven. She is my gym buddy and a shoulder to cry on.

Without these two people in my life I would be a mess. To me they are my role models, and my security. Though I have told them numerous times how much I appreciate their presence in my life, I am sure that they do not realize the effect they have had on my life.