Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase "each other" doesn't make any sense.

Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi - 13th century

"Our diet starts tomorrow..."

This is how I feel in the Arab world as I am continually force-fed course after course of food. Enjoy!

Arab kids are the cutest kids

To the virgins, to make much of time - Robert Herrick

The following is one of my favorite poems of all time and it means so much to me. Live it up but at the same time remember that you have all the time in the world to do the things you want to accomplish.

GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may, 

    Old time is still a-flying : 

And this same flower that smiles to-day 

    To-morrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, 

    The higher he's a-getting,

The sooner will his race be run, 

    And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first, 

    When youth and blood are warmer ; 

But being spent, the worse, and worst 

    Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time, 

    And while ye may go marry : 

For having lost but once your prime 

    You may for ever tarry.

Little Catie, Big Pepsi

Meet my good, little friend Catie Ashley.

In short (pun intended), this pint-sized, Arabic genius drinks about 4 liters of diet Pepsi a day. And although I would trust her with my life, I will never let her hold my bag and camera at Petra again while I go to the bathroom. Por que you might ask? Here is porque:

Never again.

La Vita E' Bella

      [My babies: one of many things for which to be grateful]

Throughout my life I have always felt as if, like most normal people, I had a lot of reasons to be grateful and/or ungrateful because of hardships, successes, and any other curve-balls life tends to throw at me.

However the truth is that gratitude is not conditional. Rather it is something we should strive to feel constantly. It needs to be cultivated regarding past and present blessings. And the truth is that life is a blessing, in its entirety.

We too often make the mistake of picking, choosing, and labeling events in our lives as "blessings" or "challenges." We pick things to be thankful for, and things to deem as impossible. If religious we pray to be relieved of hardships but we often forget to be thankful for the little, meaningful things in our lives. 

Yet we almost always forget to be thankful for everything, "difficult trials" included.

According to Bonnie D. Parkin, gratitude is a spirit filled principle which requires awareness and effort, not only to feel it but to express it:

"Frequently we are oblivious to the Lord’s hand. We murmur, complain, resist, criticize; so often we are not grateful. In the Book of Mormon, we learn that those who murmur do not know “the dealings of that God who … created them.” The Lord counsels us not to murmur because it is then difficult for the Spirit to work with us."

"Gratitude is a Spirit-filled principle. It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God. Through it, we become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden our hearts with their messages of God’s love. This grateful awareness heightens our sensitivity to divine direction. When we communicate gratitude, we can be filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude inspires happiness and carries divine influence. “Live in thanksgiving daily,” said Amulek, “for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.” 

"Mercies and blessings come in different forms—sometimes as hard things. Yet the Lord said, “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.” All things means just that: good things, difficult things—not just some things. He has commanded us to be grateful because He knows being grateful will make us happy. This is another evidence of His love."

[See the full talk here]

In short, I am very grateful for all of the many blessings in my life. Although I am not always 100% in tune with this feeling and not always the best at showing it, I am grateful for every single person, opportunity, and event that I have come in contact with.

So be grateful, life is good, and la vita e' sempre bella (even when it's "not").

No Shave November

It is officially what some call "No-Shave November." 

Good. 

Because our apartment might as well be called the arctic tundra, we have a limited amount of water, and we could use the extra warmth. 

Also, on that happy note, our professor announced the final OPI schedule (for more information click here).

So naturally I am freaking out. Mine is scheduled  for December 7th.

Too soon, too soon.

Good thing I have songs like this one to calm my nerves:

Found this gem on the soundtrack of the new movie Stupid, Crazy Love. It is a must-see.