negativity

So, I decided to chop off my hair today. And with it.. my negativity :)

That's my summer goal, my friends: bad-attitude-parsimony. Hold me to it. No more gossip, no more whining... it's about darn time. I've been too mopey lately -- I'm bumming myself out :) So alas and alack.. let the summer begin!

Today was really nice -- spent a lot of quality time with mother, got all of my clothes for camp (except for shoes.. tomorrow is shoe day), chopped off my hair...

Oh, yes, funny story. Okay, so last night I decided to be like the people on Bravo and cut my bangs. Here's the funny part: I stink at cutting bangs. I destroyed them.

... thankfully, the nice lady today fixed them.

Anyways, tonight I went to Longpoint Grille with Liz and Amy... quality girls evening out. It's so good coming home and having friends here who will always be here. If not physically, emotionally. We've all invested in this place. The restaurant was amazing. I had this pan-roasted chicken with sweet potatoes and asparagus. Uber-yum. The owners are incredible -- they're a Catholic couple from Christ Our King and their restaurants are the "classics" in Mt. Pleasant -- Sette VII, Boulevard Diner, The Mustard Seed, now Longpoint Grille and apparently a new Mexican place I'm going to have to try out. I think there might be one more? Anyways.. they're all different, they're all fabulous... good memories at those places.

Afterwards we went to Amy's and hung out for a bit, then out to Barnes and Noble to look at room magazines and baby name books. Times have certainly changed -- baby-maker-Bridgette is dead. I still think they're cute, but the thought of me having one right now freaks me out. Maybe its because some of my friends are pregnant and I'm realizing that hey -- we're not that young anymore. So Liz and Amy poured over baby names and I poured over tapestries.

Afterwards we went to Kaminski's... an adorable coffee and dessert bar that's really popular down here. And we ran into the rest of the world there... Jonathan, Cullen, Alex, Brent, Chrissy, and Jessie...

I get so confused. I can't keep up with everyone and who's doing what and who's friends with whom and it's a little insane. But I enjoyed seeing everyone nonetheless. It will be good to get away from the drama at camp I think. I can focus on the campers and bringing joy to them. It's always easier to love your friends than your family, though... and my friends from home are definately like a mini-family. We fight like crazy, but we also love like crazy. You can never really run away from your family.

That's what I'm learning this year... there are some things you just can't run away from. God, your health, your family, love, the Eucharist, the call to holiness, Confession, your past, your dreams, your mistakes, your life.

I think that's why its so hard to let go of friends.. I know that love is an eternal virtue that will be totally fulfilled in heaven. The nature of love isn't transient, so neither should be the people we love. Maybe that's the source of heart break... the eternal inclinations fighting the fact that, because we're fallen, we mess it up.

Key word: we.

The kicker about original sin is that it doesn't stop with one person... we're a community; God has woven us together. So my own heart break, in a sense, is kind of my own fault. We all contribute to the chaos every time we gossip or lie or exhibit pride. While we may not "deserve" what we get, we certainly aren't entitled to any better. It's the humility of the Christian life -- our sin strips us of our entitlement, yet Christ has restored us to our dignity. That's why we must treat each other with dignity, gentleness, and love, yet expect nothing in return. Heartbreak is the opportunity to seize the joy of the Resurrection. Carpe the proverbial and often painful diem, if you will.

So that's the long story of why my new goal in life is kindness. :)

Phew. Okay. Back to my "Bridgette time" ... Colbert Report, a chilled glass of wine, and crafting :)... I'm making these really cool collage pannels for my room in the apartment next year!!!! WHEE!!!


"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting." -Mother Teresa