Gratitude

What has been going on in my life in the 7 months since I've written? A lot. I keep meaning to blog more, I really do...but it just seems like each time I am in the mood to write, I have nothing to say, and every time I need to get my thoughts out on paper, I have no time to do so. 

Anyway, I am just updating to say that I failed my 100 letters of gratitude challenge. Instead, I am using the month of November to write 30 letters instead. I think this is a more manageable goal; I only have to write 1 letter per day. 

There are so many people that I am grateful for this season (well really all seasons, but you know what I mean). I have currently written 8 letters, and they cover a wide range of people that have made an impact on my life: rabbis, youth advisors, teachers, friends. 

Though it's sometimes stressful to fit my letters in when I have so much going on academically (#midterms) and extracurricularly (#overcommitted), once I sit down and actually write out my thoughts I have found that it puts me in a better mood. 

The end! 

10,000 Roses

In the spring of my junior year of high school, I began searching for a monologue to use for college auditions. Somehow I came across the play "The White Rose", which chronicles the arrest, interrogation and ultimate execution of a group of University of Munich students who distributed leaflets protesting the Nazi regime at the height of World War II. They called themselves The White Rose. I might add that none of the students were Jewish. I lived with that piece for the entirety of my senior year. My friends could tell you that this piece meant a lot to me. I felt such deep appreciation and connection to Sophie Scholl, who at 21 years old felt so strongly that what was happening was wrong, and died advocating for the basic   human rights of others. 

Today, I am proud to say that my school has a White Rose Society of our own that educates others about human rights issues affecting our world today. Today, 10,000 roses were passed out around campus to represent the number of people killed in a single day at Auschwitz. 

The White Rose Society's message could not be more timely. Along with the roses we passed out is a message drawing parallels between what happened in WWII and what is happening in our world right now in 2016. I am attaching a picture of it below. We say "Never Again", but do our actions reflect our words? 

Twenty

Well...I didn't blog at all in 2015. That's upsetting.

Oh well, it is now 2016 and so much has changed since the last time I have blogged! Perhaps I will post more often this year (one can hope), but the reason I am writing now is because today I turned 20.
Yep. It's crazy isn't it?!? As of 1:43am this morning I have been alive on this earth for 2 whole decades, 20 years, 240 months, 7300 days, and a lot of hours. I have learned and grown a lot these past twenty years, but one of the biggest things I would like to work on is gratitude.

Too often I find myself running myself ragged and bogged down in the hectic nature of every day life. I have decided that it would do me good to be more mindful of the small things in life...and more specifically the people who make the small things in life occur (though those small things are often big things).

This year I am making a goal for myself to write 100 letters of gratitude to 100 different people who have made an impact on my life. I am hoping that it will be a way to not only practice gratitude, and celebrate the joys in life, but that it will help me reconnect with those I have lost touch with over the years (there are many people I would like to thank).

Obviously, I am sure I will start off with the people that are a part of my current daily life...but as time goes on, I am hoping that this project will provide me with the opportunity to reflect on those whose paths have crossed mine in years past as well.

Basically, I am writing all this out now on my blog to keep me accountable. Fingers crossed I follow through! I really think it will be a rewarding/fulfilling experience.

Now on to the next chapter.....

Thanksgiving

Oy Vey!

I really need to blog more often. New Year's resolution? We'll see...

Where do I even begin? So much has happened in between my last post and now. Graduation, spending the summer working as a camp counselor for 9 and 10 year old girls, vacation in the Caymans with my family, and starting college.

Wait, what?!?!  Yes, this is exactly how I felt as I was preparing for my departure, saying my goodbyes, and driving down to Austin. Heck, that's how I felt throughout the whole entire first week or so of school. I didn't feel like I was ready or mature enough for college at all. But, here I am, three months later, and I can say a lot has changed. That's why this Thanksgiving I am thankful for (among other things):

Growth.

I feel I have grown a lot in the past three months in so many ways. I have learned how to manage stress, balance a social life with academics, be independent, and countless other life skills. Yes, I enrolled in a university to get a degree which will later lead me to a stable, fulfilling, and hopefully successful career, but I have gained so much insight and learned just as much outside of the classroom as I have inside.

So, in addition to being thankful for my loving, supportive family, amazing roommates, new friends, old friends, and great mentors, I would like to give thanks for personal growth this fine Thanksgiving.

A Man I Miss

I'm baaaack!

I hope to compose more entries once my school life calms down a bit--which should be soon, as my last AP exam is this Thursday. Speaking of APs, I should be studying right now, but I just wanted to take the time to compose a little post.

This weekend was a huge one at our synagogue. First, we honored our senior Rabbi for his 25 years at our Temple. (This man is great by the way. He was married the same summer my parents were and they are fairly good friends. He also did my Bat Mitzvah) And today, in addition to it being the last day of Sunday school, (I'm going to miss my sweet kindergarteners) it was the groundbreaking for the $35 million renovation we're beginning.

I was blessed with the opportunity to sit up on stage with all of the clergy, lay leaders, and even the mayor. That was pretty fun. My adorable friends made signs that said "We love Ally!" and "Go Ally!" that made me laugh.

But by far the highlight of my day was seeing "Joy's" dad, one of my old Rabbis and I man I look up to in a huge way. As I mentioned in my very first blog post, he GAVE me my first guitar. Not just "oh here play this while you learn." but "Here is a guitar. I would like to share my love for songleading with you." And though I've kind of stopped playing because it got increasingly hard to find time to practice between rehearsals, DAFTY meetings, and homework, I still consider myself a songleader and I owe it all to him.

I gotta give myself credit.....I did NOT cry.

In front of him at least.

I cried Friday night when I found out he was at Shabbat services that I couldn't go to because I had closing night of my last high school show, (and last show ever? I don't know when I'll be doing theatre again....but more about that in a later post) and I cried when I babysat Saturday night just thinking about seeing one of my major role models that I haven't seen since September. (Yes I am a crybaby/wimp. I know.) And I most definitely cried when I got home and replayed all the things I WISH I could say to him in my head. Trust me, there is a lot. I went this whole weekend thinking seeing him again would give me some closure about his departure, but guess what? It didn't.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to gain closure. They say time heals wounds, and I really hope that is the case, because it's been a little under 8 months and it's like a gaping sore anytime someone mentions him or I think of him. (and I think about him a lot.) I only wish he knew that. At least it was nice to see him. I got 2 hugs and we talked briefly about college.

Which reminds me that I better get off the internet and go study some Environmental Science and Psychology! Hoping the time in between now and my next post will be a lot sooner than it has been.

Tata for now!

Random Acts of Kindness

I have GOT to get better at updating this thing. I need to talk about Winter Conclave majorly and I keep meaning to post something about my excitement/nervousness for college next year. But I'll save that for another time.

Yesterday was "Joy's" 2nd birthday. Or it would have been, had she lived long enough to see it. To be honest, I had been dreading it because I cannot think about her or her family without bursting into tears, but I had decided months ago that I wanted to mark the day in a special way. I decided that I was going to make it a day of mitzvahing, (that's doing good deeds for you non-Jewish followers...oh wait! I don't have any followers at all!) and decided that 15 goods deeds sounded like a good number based off of the 15 months she lived.

Well, I would have loved to do 15 mitzvahs, but between applying to scholarship after scholarship, attacking my mountain of homework (yes during spring break :( I know), and Purim rehearsal, I couldn't spend the day running around town playing bingo at retirement homes or volunteering at the North Texas Food Bank.

Instead I put put on my tennis shoes and walked up to the mall with my mom. It was in the 70s, so it was perfect walking weather. We carried garbage bags with us and picked up trash that had blown into the field between the mall and the freeway. Once our bags were full we proceeded to the mall entrance and discarded the trash bags. My mom continued to get her walk in, and I made a stop at Auntie Anne's to buy a giftcard. As I was walking out of the store, I saw a middle aged lady with her mom walking toward the store. I approached them and told them what I was doing (a really brief version) and handed them the giftcard. I made a little slip of paper to go with it. They thanked me and went on their way.

Next I went into Barnes & Noble and bought another gift card. (This time the sum much larger) I especially wanted to give it to a cute little family. I felt so awkward, creepy, and stalkerish walking into the kids section and handing over the gift card and slip of paper, but the lady I gave it to had 3 kids and was soo appreciative. Whether she used it for books or drinks at the cafe, (the kids were complaining they were thirsty) I'm glad it made her smile.

Then I walked over to Yogurtland and gave this girl and her little sister a coupon that allowed you to get your first 3oz free. The little girl gave me a hug and shouted "Yay, yay, yay!" So obviously she was a happy camper.

Then I met back up with my mom and we headed back home, collecting more trash along the road on our way.

At home we made PB&J sandwiches and put them in bags with a water bottle and mini oranges to give to the homeless people that are always on the street on the way to Temple. But the ONE time I actually had something besides money to give, there wasn't a single soul on the street! I'll try again tomorrow.

Even though I didn't do as many good deeds as I would have liked, I think I brightened at least 3 peoples'/families' days. And yay for being eco friendly! Like I said before, I was dreading the sadness that would come with this day, but I honestly wasn't sad at all. I didn't even cry until today when I saw a picture her dad was tagged in on facebook. Seeing those people smile made me smile. Just like "Joy" always made everyone smile.

So happy birthday little one. I think about you a lot and I love you.

 P.S. In case you're curious, (but who am I even talking to?) the slip of paper that I gave to the 3 families said "I'm spending the day doing random acts of kindness for strangers in memory of a loved one. But you don't need a specific reason to be nice. Pay it forward!"

It's Here...

It's here.....

Winter Conclave that is. 7ish months of planning later, and the weekend has come at last.

The journey to get here was not easy; between the awkward stage between advisors, two pregnant Rabbis (one who had to go on bedrest in December and the other one gave birth 5 days before conclave), broken bones (Isaac), surgery (Isaac again), mono (me), flu (Wow. Isaac's had a rough couple months...), and a whole lot of craziness, it's amazing that we are able to even function.

While it is yet to be seen whether or not the weekend will run smoothly, I am so immensely proud of my board for all that we've accomplished.

Let's make this weekend rock guys! (except no one reads my blog so really I am just talking to myself)

P.S. Let it be known that none of this would have been possible without the hardwork, dedication, and patience of Uncle Mike and my fabulous co-president. I couldn't have asked for a better advisor/presidential team ever!