GraceMarie's Adventure Blog

In this big world, it can seem at times that our lives are insignificant. It can feel lonely. It can feel suffocating. It can seem like the whole world is against you. We can lose people we love. We can lose people that only made a short appearance in our lives. But just because they're gone, doesn't mean that we need to go with them. Let me tell you this: It's going to be okay. No matter what you're dealing with, it's going to be okay. It may not be okay at first, it may take a really long time. But, just know that you're not alone. You're never alone. If you ever need to talk, there will always be someone who will listen. Find that person, and make sure that you keep them close. We all go through hard times, and difficult situations. But I can guarantee you, that your life is worth living. I'm no expert and honestly have no right to be telling other people that it is going to be okay, but I just know deep down in my heart that everything is...

How do you tell someone that they deserve better? Is that even possible? Or is that something that they need to figure out for themselves? How do you tell someone that they're with the wrong person? That they aren't themselves around that person? That they deserve to be put first. To be sought after. To be loved. How do you tell someone that they belong with someone so much better? That they belong with you. That you're there for them. That you will put them first. That you'll be partners and you'll figure things out together. How do you tell someone that they belong with you. Or should you?

It's dark, and I don't know where I am anymore. It's getting hard to breathe. I know that I need to get out. I turn around, and still my vision is unclear. I'm trying to choke out the words, trying to yell out for help. My throat burns, my lips go dry. I'm mouthing the words but nothing is coming out. I start to wonder if help is near. What else can I do? I'm going to get stuck in here.  The air is getting thinner. The smoke is overwhelming. I can't breathe. I'm losing my focus. I'm looking for an exit. I'm going in circles. My vision is gone. My lungs are screaming. Wouldn't it just be easier to lay and wait for help here? I think I could fall asleep right here.  Maybe I'll try again, when the smoke clears. 

We live in a world that we share with 7.53 billion people.  By my estimation...…… that's a shit ton. Yet, I find that this world has proven to be smaller than we think.  It's all about our connections. Connections to each other, to businesses, to that exciting new technology. Every connection that we develop, makes this big old world, just a little bit smaller.  To that point, reputation is what makes or breaks you. Let's be honest, we aren't going to introduce one friend to another friend if they're a shitty friend. We aren't going to boast about our co-worker to someone if they're a shitty co-worker. Let's go even a step further and say, we aren't going to introduce our single friends to another potential single friend, if they're shitty at relationships. Now, I'm not saying that we should fabricate who we are. I'm not saying that at all. But, we live in a technologically savvy society where everyone can see what we...

I'm back. Clearly, I've taken a long hiatus from this blog. I truly did mean to continue to post. But as always, life has other plans. And we have to roll with the punches.  I just got a Facebook memory the other day. It was a picture of my dad and I, standing at the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail. That seems like it was so long ago.  Well, since then a lot has changed in my life. I started the police academy at the end of October and then graduated on the 21st of March. I am currently three weeks into Field Training. It's terrifying, yet exhilarating. There are some days I am so frustrated because I am not learning fast enough. There are other days, I'm so amped up because of the calls for service we answered. It's a rollercoaster, but I am so excited to continue to learn.  In just this short amount of time, I know this is the right path for me. I'm just hoping to continue to learn as much as I can about this job. And hope...

One of my teachers from high school, just announced on Facebook that he has decided to stop treatment for his cancer. He has been fighting this particular battle for over two years. I cannot begin to imagine what he and his family is currently going through. I know that it is an incredibly difficult journey. We lost my grandma to lung cancer a few years back and it was heartbreaking watching her go through treatments. Her health deteriorated and before we knew it, she was gone. I was getting that phone call, to plan to come home for a few days so we could attend the memorial. I think it's easy to forget that we have expiration dates. Some sooner than others. We are so privileged to live the lives that we do. Let's not take any day for granted. Be spontaneous. Hold tight to the ones that you love. Don't be afraid of falling, because you will. Don't try and fit into a perfect little box, that tells you how to live your life. Be adventurous. If you're not happy wit...

🎝 Know that means I'll have to leave Lately, I've been, I've been thinking I want you to be happier, I want you to be happier 🎝 Sometimes (a lot of times), I think it's easier to put others needs in front of your own. Or to continuously try to make something work, when you know that it probably won't. We try to make things work because we think that they should but we end up losing a part of ourselves, or our happiness. We all deserve to be happy. We all deserve to find love--whether it be from a parent, a sibling, a friend, or a significant other. But what if we are continuously making sacrifices, and then find ourselves lost in the process? When is it time to tell that other person that they'd be better off without you or better off in a different situation?

One of the most frustrating things that I have found in my short 23 years of life, is that I don't feel like many people understand me. This can manifest itself in multiple ways. But mainly I don't feel like I can be fully myself. Sure, my family is the exception. There's something about living with them 24/7 that you don't feel the need to hold back anything (in my family's case, that means long descriptions of bodily functions-yuck). Anyways, to get back on topic. Sometimes, I feel myself just wanting to scream. UNDERSTAND ME. Or--let me trust you enough to let you know all my secrets. I find myself wondering if anyone else feels this way? Or am I alone in this? I have first hand experience-it's hard letting people in. It's really fucking hard. Because once you do-that's when you can be hurt the most. But we can't go about hiding our true selves forever, can we? How lonely that would be.

Sarah was seething, although this anger seemed to be manifesting from a misunderstanding. She could feel that she was angry with Peter for not understanding. She was angry with Peter, but knew that she shouldn't be. The whole night had been a disaster. Sarah had thrown this party at the beach house. She meant for it to be an intimate gathering but it had turned into people getting drunk and unruly. It wasn't what she had planned. She was cleaning up after people, rather than spending time with Peter. The whole point of the freaking party was to spend some quality time with him, but instead she had sunken into herself and played the mother role. She put the fabricated needs of others before herself, and now she was blaming Peter. She knew that it was stupid. Yet, the whole night had been so draining. She needed to direct her anger somewhere and it had ended up being on him. He of course knew her playbook. He knew that when she confronted him, he was going to just lay low and...

Erica glances down at her vibrating phone and opens a message that had just appeared. The text was from the most recent of her boy "friends". Her and Austin had been hanging out for a few months. It didn't seem to be amounting to anything serious. Not that she didn't want that, but he had never brought it up before. She didn't feel comfortable pressing the matter. She had been assertive in past "relationships" if you'd even call them that. For some reason, every guy she hooked up with and spent a significant amount of time with, just wanted to be friends. It was frustrating to Erica, because all she wanted was some type of commitment. Yet, every time she brought it up, the dude ran the other way. Immediately it was this big thing, about how they didn't connect emotionally, or how he just wanted to be friends with benefits, or that he wasn't looking for anything serious. The list of excuses went on and on, Erica had pretty much heard them all....