One day at a time

So lately I have been in a "funk" so to speak. This state of being began the beginning of October but has come to an abrupt halt. The reason...the reasons: stress, school which creates stress, family which can be stressful, friends, relationships, volunteering, working, exercising, test, quizzes, leadership, applications, future, pressure, staying ahead, staying on top...staying afloat.  So when my car broke down on the freeway on Thanksgiving day it was like a cherry on the top of a diabetic's ice cream sundae. I realized something was wrong and I also realized I had to fix it.  In one week I had managed to convince my brother I hated him, was willing to write off my family, friends, and move to a new state. But why? I'm not sure. I did fix it. We showed up to Thanksgiving dinner two hours late, no one was mad, upset or disappointed. I was all of those things at myself, and last summer I would have never got upset. I would have laughed at the situation and written it down as another experience.
After dinner and drawing all the things I was thankful for, I drove my car home and went for a walk. It was during this walk on a cold Thursday night I realized I had changed.  I made the distinction between me and everyone else.  I figured out I can never live up to my own expectations.  Vet school applications brought this into reality.  Donating blood for me is my duty to society.  For everyone else it is going out of there way to save someone's life.  Donating time doing service is how I give back to those around me who helped me.  For everyone else it is donating valuable time that they probably don't have. Getting good grades is something that should happen.  For everyone else a good grade is because they have studied hours and work hard.
 So it was then that I remembered two families were willing to drop everything to help. They help and want to give me everything and I acted ungrateful and took most things for granted.  This is the beginning of the good deed challenge. This goes beyond club organizations and my regular volunteering, this is a daily challenge. Join me if you would like.  The first day of the challenge write letters to those I have neglected to write to. For you it can be anyone.  For me it is my two friends now serving LDS missions.  Hailey I have known since junior high and Erin was my roommate in college sophomore year.