Blessed!

This past week flew by very quickly. Back home it was the week everyone was going back home to celebrate Thanksgiving, and the same day was both my mom and step dads anniversary and the Lebanese Independence Day.  Being the first year away from the majority of family, and the first year sans-Thanlsgiving, it was quite a bittersweet feeling for me. Not wanting to ignore Thanlsginging as it is one of my favorite holidays, except Christmas, of course, I took the opportunity to really think bout what was goin on in my life and what I was truly blessed and thankful for at this point in my life. The past three months have been a whirlwind of differences and emotions and events; and while I've had all the time in the world to be introspective and realize all that and whom I have in my life, it was important to see beyond the surface of my blessings. It was important to see how much God provides for me, from my safety to my health and to the simple necessities in life that I have never had to go without. I focused on all the love and support I have around me, regardless of distance physically, and that even when I may feel alone I can have peace that I never am or will be. Blessings go beyond family and friends though, and I realize how much I take for granted still. Even while being in a country so set apart from the States, I still don't properly thank God for being able to see the world in this new way, or to have this opportunities and experiences that I don't even know that are around me yet. Blessings in people, places, words, feelings, books, nature,things, there are so many blessings in my life that I forget to is creepy be thankful for. So even though I missed out, begrudgingly, on turkey and stuffing and way too many sweets this year, which I should be thankful for in itself,and hated to be away from my Scarpetti family, I am so beyond blessed and prized under the love of my God. While I'd love to say and have conviction in that I will continue,everyday, to remember how loved and cared for and blessed I am with my wonderful
 family, my friends and everything else, I know that I will fail many times. So here is to Thanksgiving, an important day to look at your life and praise God for what you do have around you, and to all the other days where you won't remember to be so thankful, but can try you best to count as many blessings as you can. Happy Thanksgiving for always! 

The Game of Life

Have you ever wondered why as a kid, board games seemed so exciting? Maybe they weren't as fun for you as they were for me, I probably enjoyed them more as I didn't play them very regularly, but there is something so simple and timeless about them. Monopoly, Scrabble, Sorry!, Apples to Apples(my favorite through high school) and so many others, they can so easily bring together a group of friends, strangers or family. Looking back into the moments where I've played these games, I've realized something- that my life, no matter how much I wish it would be, cannot be played like the board game version. LIFE, a game of spinning the wheel and getting cards of fate; what you study in school, when you marry, how many children you have, what car you drive, the house you buy, all these things in a game of luck, fate, of Life. But that's not reality is it. I can't roll a dice or spin a wheel or pass Go and collect $200. While I wish I could see in front of me in a exciting display my options of schools, careers, potential husband, children, cities and so on, that would defeat the purpose of living. If I knew exactly what to do, where to be, what to study, then I couldn't discover, I couldn't truly experience, I couldn't learn. It's been hard for me lately, faced with the decisions and confusion of not knowing where my life is going, and that is in reality a beautiful thing. I've realized that if I knew where I'd live, what I'd do and what my days on Earth had in store, I would live a bland, boring and predictable life. Instead, if I focus each day on my faith that God has his perfect plan for me, I can face the challenges of not knowing what I love to do and where I'll be a year from now and instead, I can be grateful for the place I'm in now, the people I've met, and the joy of experiencing life every new day I get. While picking a card may be easier, simpler, less messy, the game of life is not a game at all, and for some very good reasons too. Will I travel more, will I study sociology, become a writer or find a different passion, will I live abroad, "will I and what ifs" are boundless.  I do know however, that the moments ahead of me are full of promise, full of joy and full of hardships, but more importantly, full of purpose. I don't know where my life is going or who I will be beyond who I am today, but knowing that God created the maps for the games of life long before I could roll a dice to play, I can find peace in knowing that his plan is infinitely greater than any board game or chance decision.