As I said this summer has been crazy and in one word to sum it all up it's been interesting. I have grown, and I have watched so many of my friends grow. I've had two of my closest friends come home from missions. I've experienced lost. I've experienced heart-ache. I've experienced frustration and happiness, stress and relaxation. I've had mundane days and adventures days. I've learned a lot from this summer as I have in previous summers. I've learned yet again that our happiness depends on ourselves. Not on what goes on around us. "Happiness does not depends on what happens outside of you but on what happens inside of you." (President Harold B. Lee) I cannot tell you how many lectures I have gotten from my mom that have the same meaning as this quote. It's one of my biggest struggles-happiness. Which ironically was one of my greatest strengths growing up.
But what I want to focus on is a quote I saw a while ago. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. "Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion." People have always thought me crazy this summer when I told them how many jobs I did. It started out as me doing two-a full time job for AMTS at IMFlash and then a part time job at Kohl's. I about got killed off working those two because I'd get up at 6:30 and go to AMTS and work until 3:30 then I'd have Kohl's some days at 5 or 6 and I'd get home in between 10:30 or midnight (depended on the day). I was working about 50 or more hours a week. Finally I had had enough and I quit Kohl's, but I replaced it with three other jobs...Tutoring, cleaning on Saturday Mornings, and shipping packages out. Best decision ever. Even though I had more jobs but these jobs were much more enjoyable and flexible with me. I've enjoyed doing it all. It has kept me busy and on my toes. But it has also given me the chance to spend time with family and a few friends, and go to institute a lot more than before. :)
A few people, like I said, thought me crazy. I got asked why I worked so much, and I got told that I needed to relax and not stress. But the thing is that I wasn't as stressed about work as others thought. I enjoyed most of it. Sure I would have loved a few more relaxing days, but I worked as hard as I did so that I could go to school. I absolutely love school. I have been blessed my whole life with a natural ability at school and a love for it. As I have grown-up I have found that I have a passion for teaching. So, I worked my butt off so I could go to school, so my parents or anyone else didn't have to pay a dime for that school. I worked hard so I can learn, so I can live in a town that I call home, and so I can teach little kids. I worked hard so I can have my passion. It's as simple as that. If anyone asked me if I regret working as much as I did this summer, I'd tell them "No, I'd do it all over again". The things that I learned and that I experienced were worth it and are priceless to me.
I remember reading a talk when I was first up at school. I can't remember exactly who it was by but if I remember correctly part of it quoted Brigham Young. It explained that we have push our boundaries if we are going to grow. And that's what I did. I pushed boundaries that I had; I made them bigger to help me grow and learn new things.
So, push those boundaries. Find what you are passionate about and pursue it. Work hard. But don't lose sight of the most important things: the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Family, Friends. Don't forget those because they will last for an eternity and they are what make every day, even the bad days, a good day. That's one of the many things I've learned this summer.
Marissa
P.S. my blog URL will be changing very soon. Look for the update on my Instagram or Facebook.
