Post after the first post (82 Days Left)

So, as you all may know (you being the people I imagine in my mind are reading this to better understand my madness and/or aren't really real, but I wish you were so that I would know that someone out there wants to hear what I think) I'm going on my mission to Portugal, and I leave for Utah in 82 days. I have a lot of things I feel as though I need to say, and many things that I want to work through in my mind.

So to you, my dear imagined readers, I hope that these things will not depress your imaginary feelings, or make you want to maim your imaginary selves. (For anyone that is real and reading this, Hi, and don't send me hate mail, you're reading MY blog).

This is where my blog begins. Lately I have seen so many discouraging things in the media, and so many negative images all around me, that I've become just a little MANICALLY DEPRESSED. Not really, of course, but one would wonder how such a wonderful and amazing world can be taken for granted by so many. I mean, seriously, our world ROCKS, and we don't care enough to go out and make a difference. This is where I get a little manic. It's this idea, in theory, practice, principle, and any form of thought or slanderous libel (yes, that was intended) that can encompass it. Because it is so horrible, I am going to post it in italics, just so you don't think that I think this way.

"Why should I help? I'm just one person, and nothing I do can help anyone." OR "It doesn't matter if I help out, since it'll get done any ways." OR "Oh, I don't like doing that..... because.....__________(fill in the blank"

I'll admit that I've been party to this many times myself, but COME ON!!! There is so much good in this world! We need to be aggressive about getting it!!! A self-fulfilling prophecy is saying that something is going to happen, and then making it happen. IE, you say that you can't do something, and then don't try, or allow yourself to fail because you said that you'd fail.

It is this very attitude that will lead to the downfall of mankind. We as a human race have untapped potential, and can do ANYTHING that we set our minds on. Look at all of the people that we call great. They worked HARD and got results. Abraham Lincoln didn't get to where he was because he just sat around and watched TV. I don't care weather you like Barack Obama or not, he's become highly successful because he WORKED HARD. nothing can be achieved instantly, but something takes effort. *That's by me, by the way* We need to take up the reins of our own destiny and fight like heck until we get where we want or need to be. I'm making a promise to myself that I am going to be better. I'm making a promise to the children I will have, to whomever will consent to be my wife *after my mission*, to my parents, to my friends, to my companions, to the people that I don't know but try to be a positive force of good for each and every moment that I take a breath. I make a promise that I will be a better person. I'm going to be amazing some day, and although I am not there yet, I'll make it. I'm going to do something with my life, and I am going to start it now. Success starts with a willingness to admit that you aren't good enough, that you need help from those around you, and that there is something higher that you cannot reach, but need to press on for no matter what.

There is nothing more that I can think of other then doing my best right now. I was having a pretty sad and depressing night, day, and week, even though I am about to go on one of the best journeys of my life. I realized that tonight. That I am letting all of these small things get in my way, and that I need to let them go. My life here on Earth is to short a time for me to fret and groan about all of the things that I need to do. I will go and do the things that come into my mind, with a fullness of joy in my heart, and I will do them to the best of my abilities.

My challenge to anyone, real or imaginary that reads this, is to be better. Be kind to someone, try something new, go out on a limb. The worst that can happen is that your limb breaks and you land on one a few feet below. This is my message for this blog.

-Doug