Skip to main content

HARD WORK

Today's post inspired by Ella Henderson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Lois Johnson (my high school Choir Teacher). 


-Ella Henderson



"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." 
-Teddy Roosevelt


"Doing something really hard, really well... that's real fun."
-Lois Johnson



YOUR LIFE IS HARD MY LIFE IS HARD
BUT GUYS LET'S BE REAL 

NOTHING TRULY WORTH IS EASY.
DID THAT A GRADE IN STATS CLASS COME EASY MY JUNIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE? 
HECK NO!
IT CAME AFTER YEARS OF JUST BARELY MAKIN' IT IN ALGEBRA
 AND SUMMERS OF MATH SHEETS AND TUTORING FROM MY DAD
AND ALL THAT TIME IN THE THIRD GRADE MEMORIZING MY MATH FACTS. 


DID I REALLY JUST "PICK UP" THAT SECOND LANGUAGE ?
HECK NO!
IT CAME AFTER STRUGGLE AND SOLITUDE AND LONELINESS AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS 
(AND SILENT MOMENTS AT LOTS OF PEOPLE'S DINNER TABLES)
AND TALKING A LOT TO GOD, 
BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD ME
IT CAME AFTER FOLLOWING MY COMP LIKE A BABY DUCK
WHILE I STUDIED AND STUDIED AND STUDIED FLASHCARDS 
WITH VOCAB WORDS
UNTIL I CRASHED IN BED AT 10:30PM WITH EXHAUSTION AND A HEADACHE IN THE WORST WAY.


DID THAT PRECIOUS BABY BOY
JUST GENTLY SLIDE OUT WHEN I "POPPED?" 
DON'T YOU EVEN DARE PRETEND THAT WAS EASY.

BUT THE BEST THINGS
THE GIVE UP YOUR FREE TIME THINGS
THE GIVE UP YOUR NETFLIX THINGS
THE GIVE UP YOUR TEAR-FREE FACE THINGS
THE GIVE UP YOUR SLEEP THINGS
THE GIVE UP YOUR COMFORT THINGS
THE RE-PRIORITIZE THINGS
THE STRETCH YOUR SOUL THINGS
THEY BE WORTH. 



DON'T SHORTCHANGE YOURSELF OF THEM.

<3 MIKAYLA

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Problem with Chick Flicks.

I really, really, really enjoy a select few movies that I willingly watch over and over again. Pride and Prejudice is one of them. You see, Elizabeth's defense of her family, her sense of self respect, her ability to admit that she was wrong and to appreciate Darcy despite all his quirks, and quizzical brow-ness... it's marvelous. My husband doesn't share the sentiment, could you tell? ... and that's okay. There's rare a chick flick I enjoy near as much as I enjoy Pride and Prejudice or A Walk To Remember , and I wanted to explain why. You see, there's more than just a few problems with (many, not all) chick flicks:  (and if you have a chick flick that escapes many of these pitfalls then please oh please leave it's title in the comment section!) The heroine (or suitor) is less than honorable. I have a hard time rooting for a girl to get a gentleman when she's spending her time being scandalously loose with other men ( #thenotebook) . An...

Where's Number Three

A neighbor in her mid-thirties. A woman in her seventies. Their single commonality? They both asked me: Where's number three? I have a son, his name Charlie And then McKay, he's not quite three In my heart, both fit perfectly Yet others ask: Where's number three? Perhaps it's that I miscarried, My spouse's infidelity, The ache of infertility, A battle raging mentally, Illness on a crippling spree, Our family is complete, maybe. The reason's one or more of these, Yet you dare ask: Where's number three? In this question, running free Are judgements, jeering icily "You're not enough, Mik, can't you see? Buck up and give us number three!" I used to flounder, squirm, agree Or curl up small, cry, and plead. With time, I've seen things differently. I won't explain for number three. The questions of maternity Are just between my spouse and me And Parents, guiding Heavenly So please don't ask: Where's number three? Artwork Credit: Be...

Things I Look Forward To

In my High School yearbooks, the students of the graduating class each year got to choose a quote to accompany their picture. I'm pretty sure mine was by Dr. Seuss, but to be honest, I can't rightly recall. However, I distinctly remember a quote that my friend, Cami, included beneath her picture, I've thought of it often throughout the years: "I believe the secret to life is someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to." -Elvis Presley I've found a lot of truth in that. I'm a lucky girl, and I've never had a shortage of people to love--and honestly, I can't think of a day when I haven't had plenty of things to do (or should do). But when I find myself in an emotional slump, I sometimes think of this quote. It doesn't always work, because heartaches and letdowns are real, but often my spirits have been cheered when I remember something wonderful coming up in my life. Here's a few I've got cooking in my look...