Generosity Killed the Cat

The definition of generosity is giving freely without expecting anything in return. However, even if you are not expecting anything in return, a thanks or acknowledgement makes you feel like your generosity was not wasted on ungratefulness. Pearls before swine, so to speak :)
Recently we've hosted lots of different parties or get-togethers. There were times when I was blessed by the thoughtfulness, helpfulness and thankfulness of our guests. There were also times where I felt tired and overwhelmed, and wondered what the point of all this was.
If you open your home, wallet, time or talents to someone without expecting anything in return, what makes it worth it?
Quality experiences, good conversations, helping someone in need, time with friends or family - these are some things that I consider valuable enough to give my time or money to.
According to Emily Post (Queen of Manners and Etiquette),  a polite guest or a grateful recipient will do some of the following:
- Let the host know if you are coming or not, even if they didn't say to RSVP
- Thank the host the day of the party and phone call or written note after
- Be on time (yes, I definitely need to work on this one)
- Offer to help
- Don't overindulge

What inspires you to be generous? When has someone been extremely generous towards you? Have you ever felt your generosity taken advantage of, and how so?

Celebrating

This last weekend I had a birthday party.
I turn 26 tomorrow, which is kinda gettin up there. I am most definitely not a "young 20-something" I'm at best mid-twenties, at worst late twenties! AHH! To all of you older than me, I know I may seem young, but this is the absolute oldest I have ever been, and it can be quite daunting to think about. And unfortunately with age comes expectations. When I was in school, no one expected much out of me except to do well and finish. Now I feel the questions, expectations - time pressing on my shoulders - what am I going to do with this life I have been given? How am I going to make a difference in the world around me? Where am I going to work? What skills do I have to offer? When are we going to have kids? Are we ever going to own a house?
And nothing like a birthday to mark that I am another year older still working at my boring job, living in an apartment, and wondering what will be next after San Clemente.  A birthday just reminds me that my ideas and ideals are still only in my head and reality has surprisingly not changed much.
And it's not all bad - a lot has happened in the past year. We have so many more friends, a church, jobs... we like where we live and are happy. So instead of stressing out about getting older and feeling like I will never be as successful and responsible as I should be, I decided to invite all my favorite friends in the world to come over and have a party. I made it a French theme, and Jordi put in astro turf on our balcony so we could all play bocce ball. We strung Christmas lights all over the place. We got lots of wine and cheese and sausage. Everyone came over and we watched the sunset and played bocce and had a wine tasting competition and birthday cake and even a dance party.
At the end of everything, I didn't feel old, I felt loved. I realized that time and age are something you have to meet head-on. Yes, we are getting older and time doesn't stop for anyone. Which means we need to celebrate life with those we love as often as possible!!

Discovering Memories

       This past week I stumbled across my stash of old journals. I am a diligent journal-writer, ever since my dad brought me back a cool journal from Indonesia when I was 10 years old. That to say, my life from then on is pretty well documented. Not that anybody really needs to know that I got a 92 percent on my math test or had pancakes for breakfast, but by the time I got to college I guess things got interesting enough that as I flipped through the pages the other day, I was riveted by own life!

      As Gwedolyn, in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest says, "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train."

      I know not everyone keeps journals, but it’s interesting because reading back on them you remember so much that you would have completely forgotten. On the other hand, after the accident I didn’t write in my journal for a long time, and I don’t mind forgetting whatever my brain chose to forget in those months.

      Even though looking back can be fun, or painful, funny or annoying, I journal for the moment, not necessarily to remember things in the future. I like writing out my feelings and frustrations and feeling organized after everything’s on paper. But I do like reading back and getting an aerial view of my life, and seeing how I’ve changed, grown, and moved along.

     What do you think about journaling? Do you like to do it or not? Do you like it for the writing or for documenting? Do you like to look back, or do you like to let time and your brain decide what’s important enough to remember? Do you have another way of remembering – such as pictures or scrapbooks? Are you a diligent or a maybe-once-a-year writer? I am very curious what you think!

Hiking

How did I not know this existed?? 

Sunday we had the whole afternoon free, and wanted to take a hike in the beautiful sunny, cool weather. Jordi suggested the Canyon by El Moro, just north of Laguna Beach. We got there and found out parking was $15 a day!! So we decided to get a yearly state park pass for $125, which lets you get into all the state beaches and parks for free - definitely a good deal! 

We started our hike around 3 with one water bottle between the two of us, thinking we would walk for an hour or two.  However, we ended up way back in the canyon, and didn't get back to our car until after 7 p.m. - incredibly thirsty and tired, but very satisfied. It was seriously one of the most beautiful places I've hiked. 

The canyon is large, and there are many trails and loops for walking, hiking or mountain biking. It was about half an hour away from where we live, and I'd never been there before! And you completely feel like you're in the wilderness, not in the middle of Southern California, so it's a good find :)

I highly suggest checking it out - and getting a state park pass!

Is there somewhere near where you live that you never knew existed but have discovered is totally awesome?