Smile, Smile, Smile :)

     "Smile, smile, smile, and turn the world around!" Those are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs, "Smile" by McFly. A smile. So simple. A simple gesture, a simple concept, a simple action. So effortless, but so effective. I don't know about you, but one smile from someone can turn my whole day around. So why don't we do it more?!
     Last weekend, I presided over the State National Honor Society conference, which sounds far more impressive than it actually was. Whilst there, I had the opportunity to hear two amazing motivational speakers. One of them was named Stu Saunders. He had decided a long time ago that he would have a daily goal of making as many people smile as he possibly could. He told a story of his traveling the previous day. As he was waiting to check his bags in for his flight from Denver, he asked the gate agent if he could tell her a joke. He ended up telling a whole set of jokes to five employees, every one of them smiling and laughing. That was all he wanted, the satisfaction of knowing he was the reason someone smiled that day. As he boarded, the first gate agent told him she upgraded him to first class for free. When he asked why, she simply said, "Because you made me smile. Far too many grumpy people on the planet these days."
     The moral of this story was not to encourage anybody to tell people jokes in hopes of getting a favor or upgrade in return. The idea is that kindness and friendliness are important and do not go unnoticed. Think of how you feel when someone personally makes you smile. Why wouldn't you want to pass that on to as many people as possible? Sometimes, all it takes is a smile of your own. Can we all follow Stu's example and make that our own personal daily goal--to make as many people smile as we possibly can, every day? Pretty manageable, right? We can so do this. If you happen to be having a bad day, well, that's all the more reason to participate! "Just remember to smile, smile, smile, and that's a good enough start!"
Always, Anna

P.S. Here's the link to the song if you want to listen and, oh, I don't know, smile. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHb7unfIpF4

D.C. and NYC

   It's nice to be back in all the freezing slosh and now and all, but I have to write about my amazing trip to the east coast this week. Have you ever had one of those days that feels too good to be true? Those perfect moments that make you question reality? Had to literally pinch yourself because you're absolutely certain you're dreaming? Well that was my whole week. The four hours of sleep I got every night might have something to do with it, but the whole entire trip was a dream come true.

     This little summary will not do it justice, but I have a lot to cover! All twenty-five or so of us flew into Washington, D.C. on Sunday, April 7. We were divided into eight workshops of about twenty kids. We were with these groups all week as we had discussions and debates and learned as we toured monuments, memorials, and buildings. The Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial was definitely my favorite as he was one of my favorite people in the world.

 Another highlight was the Library of Congress where I got to explore Thomas Jefferson's personal library. I also loved the Smithsonian Museum of American History--it's very strange to see actual parts of history, like documents and clothes, and try to understand they are the originals. Mind boggling, really. Our capitol tour was nothing short of unbelievable. For any of you Hunger Games fans, I'm positive "the Capitol" was based off our nation's own. As we walked through long white hallways floored with shiny marble and lined with identical black doors, all I could think of was the similarities between the fictional capitol in the books and movie and the reality I was visiting. The best part of the Kennedy Center was going up to the terrace and getting the best view of the city.

City lights reflected on water never gets old. The most beautiful part, to me, was not the warm, sunny weather--although that was very nice--but the blooming cherry blossoms.

 They were EVERYWHERE in D.C. and every time I saw them I was still awed by their humble beauty.

     Another humble beauty was discovered in the second half of the trip in New York City: Central Park.

It is the land you go to in your most peaceful dreams, made of green rolling hills, calm ponds, bridges, fountains, and tall trees. The rain coming down as we walked through only ameliorated the vividness and sweet smell of the park. I know I'll be revisiting that place in my dreams. It was the most beautiful, serene haven in the center of the most chaotic city. If I ever had to move to New York, I think I would just camp out there. I'm obsessed. Times Square was exactly what I imagined it would be like: crowded, bright, flashy, busy, and breathtaking.

 In the center of it, I just stood and turned in circles trying to take it all in. We saw Mamma Mia on Broadway, which exceeded all my expectations!! Everyone should see a play on Broadway at least once in their lives, I believe. Our last day of the trip just might have been the best. We started off the morning with a walk on the High Line. I had no idea this existed, but it's a basically a walk through a park...except it's over old rail lines between tall city buildings.

Very contradictory and intriguing, just like Central Park. We took a harbor cruise where we saw all the boroughs, bridges, and the Statue of Liberty.

 It was even more amazing than it sounds. We then explored different neighborhoods, had dinner in Little Italy, and then walked the Brooklyn Bridge.

If you want a beautiful skyline, walk there at twilight. Absolutely perfect. Our last stop was the Rockefeller Center where we got to take in the view of the entire city from the "Top of the Rock." This I can't even begin to describe, but it was a sight no camera could capture.

To stand on the rooftop of a skyscraper and admire the lights as far as I could see was a view I will never forget.

     A few hours later, we were off to the airport and back to the blowing snow of North Dakota in no time. I will forever remember this amazing trip where I learned so much about our country and its government. It was an experience money truly can't buy, and I am so lucky to have been able to go. I've learned to appreciate the wise words someone once said: "Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer."

Always, Anna

Words and People

     This week, I've had the opportunity to attend the Close Up trip to Washington, D.C. and New York City. I've met people my age from Alaska, Idaho, New Mexico, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Minnesota. Jacee Engels and I are rooming with two girls who we quickly found out were the Alaskan version of us: chill, nice, easy to get along with, best friends. We are all giggly in the way that is annoying to everyone around (sorry guys!), but fun and stress-relieving for us. We lucked out big time, to say the least. Jacee and I were both surprised to find out that there are girls out there exactly like us. As the week has gone on, we have made a few more observations concerning the other students here. It has been very interesting to see that people aren't necessarily the same anywhere you go, but there certainly are some of the same kinds of people everywhere. 

     After sitting by some girls from another state who we had just met at breakfast, we were offended and taken aback when they started calling others cruel nicknames they had made up and obviously felt pretty clever for. The names pertained to what they considered flaws on their outside appearances, and what were probably some big insecurities those kids had already. They weren't saying anything to these people face-to-face, simply whispering jokes about them for their friends' approval, which makes it totally acceptable, right? Wrong. Their words were not meant to be positive, to bring anyone up, or to make anyone feel better. They were meant to point out and magnify imperfections they saw in others in order to distract themselves from their own insecurities, in hopes of making them seem smaller in comparison. 

     You never know what impact your words can have and who they can reach. That comment you make under your breath could easily get around to that person, whether you meant it to or not, and guess who is going to feel insecure and uncomfortable from that point on? That "joke" you make about someone's sweater could embarrass them to the point where even if it's their favorite sweater, they will never wear it again in fear of getting laughed at or made fun of. Seriously, nothing good can ever come from unkind words. Words can either be our most powerful weapons in hurting feelings and damaging self-esteems, or the most helpful tools in improving the lives of others. Their power is nothing to abuse. The next time you are about to insult someone, whether it is to them or your friends, ask yourself why you should or shouldn't say that and what effect it will have. I challenge everyone--and starting small is ok!--to change the way we communicate and be kind.

Always, Anna

Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree

Happy late Easter everybody! I'm actually really sad that Easter has passed, mostly because that was my last excuse for my Christmas tree still being up. Close your mouth, I hear all your jaws dropping. Four months isn't that long! It's the amount of time that it takes for--well Google has nothing in response to "What can happen in four months?" besides pregnancies. But seriously, it's just not that big of a deal. I mean, Christmas is all about the birth of Christ, and Easter the resurrection...so a Christmas tree was still totally relevant until a week ago. 

     My sister came home last weekend, and when she was going to sleep, she asked me if I was going to turn off the Christmas tree lights. I gave her a quizzical look, raising one eyebrow. She raised both her eyebrows back at me, as if to say, "You are really the one giving me the quizzical look right now?!" I rolled my eyes and unplugged the tree. And it killed me. I thought about saying, "Do you want me to just turn off my love for Jesus, too?" but thought better of it. I'm serious about how it made me feel to unplug it, though. Watching it light up every night and seeing something so beautiful before I fall asleep just brings me happiness that no other season can--except maybe autumn leaves changing colors and falling, but that's not for a few more months.

     I should have listened to everyone and followed their examples by taking the tree down a respectable few days after Christmas, or even New Year's. It could have been like ripping off a band-aid. But instead, I chose to draw this out for FOUR MONTHS. It's time to address the issue, but as I type this, I can see it out of the corner of my eye. Shining all pretty. Sparkling all colorful. Standing all tall. Looking all magical. So.....next week?

Always, Anna