In regards to my last post, when I told my grandpa I was going to Los Angeles for school, we were helping him move into our cabin at Johnson Lake from his house in the town next to the lake, Lexington, Nebraska. He said to me, "Well, you go out there and you'll forget where you're from!" My mom (who people often mistake me for sisters with) and two aunts were standing there with us.
     "How can I forget where I'm from?" I asked. "It's all right here. Daily reminders!" I gestured to the lake, the house (including all of his boxes of crap we had just packed and moved the last 2 days) and my mom and aunts. "Additionally, I'll never forget where I'm going either because it's still all right here!" Gesturing to my family again. Below is a picture of my mom and me and one of my brother, mom and me.

     When I was younger, I hated how much I looked like my mom. Now, I think it's great because I know I'm going to age well haha! It's a wonderful thing to know where you came from, even if you don't have the best circumstances in your past. Looking back tells us how far we've come, or what we have to fall back on if we need it. Don't be afraid to ask for help or forgiveness. The past is behind us for a reason. We cannot change it, but we can learn from it and move on. The past is behind you, think of it as your springboard to jumping off into the world.

     Where you are going in the future is a beautiful thing to look forward to, but don't be like me and get too caught up in where you are going to enjoy where you are now. The future is out of our control and never certain. The only thing we have is today. From the girl who had to give up obsessing about the future for Lent this year: Live it up TODAY!

     This is how I will be living it up today, lifeguarding at the Olympic Swim Trials 2012. Yesterday I got to see Nathan Adrian, Jason Lezak, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Allison Schmitt, Cullen Jones, Missy Franklin, Brendon Hansen, Janet Evans and many others. It was amazing!