Still Here...

This is the first post I've done from home in an extremely long time.

I kinda like it, but it's certainly not the same as posting from my quaint little sound/projection booth at NPC.

So, a lot of firsts have occured or are about to occur in my life.

First Halloween party in NPC youth, first timed writing in AP Lang (which I got a 6. not too shabby), first BOA regional in Atlanta, first AR band to place top 3 in their class in forementioned regional, and soon to come first HS swim meet of junior year.

It's been really exciting.

God's also been doing a lot in my life lately.

I just got home from swim, and I had a huge breakthrough.

I was insanely exhausted from the regional, and I had to make up practices.

I was also stressing about my chemistry test tomorrow, so my mind was totally scattered.

Yet, during one of the sprints we were doing, I just felt suddenly at ease.

Like, God was telling me that everything was going to be okay.

I've been trying to regain control of my life, and I felt that things were starting to fall apart again.

But, none of that mattered then.

I realized that I'd been letting the stupidest crap bother me to a point where I didn't care about life.

And, in the car on the way home, I heard the song "Still Here" by Superchick.

It's relatively new, and I highly recommend it to anyone.

It talks about how when life feels like it's constantly breaking you down, you find joy in the fact that you're still alive.

That's something I tend to take for granted.

I take life as a guarantee.

Which it isn't.

Everyday is beautiful, even when it doesn't seem that way.

Its beauty is found in the fact that you were totally blessed to receive that day.

I've seen loss affect so many people I genuinely care about lately, and it's made me rethink my idea of life.

I let days and opportunities pass me by because I'm fixated on my own problems.

During that moment I mentioned earlier, none of that seemed to matter.

Tomorrow holds no promises.

Tomorrow isn't even promised.

I'm trying to find the joy to appreciate the fact that I'm still here.

Through even the most impossible of temptations or situations, I can breathe.

I have a chance to change.

-Kati