Bricks

I am not afraid of walls.

Walls, to me.. they aren’t barriers. They aren’t meant to keep things in or out. I know people build walls to do that, to block off something, as a defense from others or for others. But I see walls as an opportunity. If you care about someone, you won’t let those walls get too high. For every brick they throw on top, you take one down… cuz at least that way, the wall isn’t getting any higher…

Know someone who puts up walls? I know I do it. I think everyone does to a certain extent. I think for me, the key is to find the person who cares enough about you to want to tear the wall down…that way, if you need to build a wall, build it around both of you instead.

“the world is blowing up, the world is caving in, the world has lost her way again, but you are here with me, but you are here with me and it makes it ok….”

Want to help with my research??

Hello,

We are doctoral students in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program at North Carolina State University. As part of our research experience, we are conducting a study that will compile information about various workplace behaviors. We would like to request your participation in our study.

The survey is completely voluntary and will take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. In order to participate you MUST be at least 18 years of age.

The link below will direct you to a site where the survey will take place. The site will also provide further information regarding the study.

In addition, feel free to forward this email/survey to your colleagues, acquaintances, and/or family members. If you have any questions or concerns at this time, you can contact Ruchi Patel at rkpatel@ncsu.edu.

To access the survey, click on the following link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=bAEUNhk_2bRTOuaKIimcUxHw_3d_3d

If you are unable to access the survey by clicking on the link, please copy and paste the URL into your web browser.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey. We appreciate you providing us with valuable data that will assist us in completing this research.

Sincerely,
Ruchi Patel and Ashley Hoffman

Sweet dreams

Everyone dreams. Some people dream vivid dreams while they’re sound asleep, some dream intense dreams while they toss and turn. Still others dream while they are wide awake, going through the motions of a regular day while their heart is buried in another place.

Dreams are funny things though. They have the power to push you to reach for your goals, they can calm you down, make you happy, make you hopeful. But they can also make you melancholy, remind you of what you don’t have, make you sad, or make you crash hard when you stop dreaming and real life returns.

Sometimes I feel like society is teaching us that adults shouldn’t dream. That somehow dreaming means that you’re not an adult and that people won’t take you seriously. That professionals wouldn’t dream like that. Dreams are foolish, a folly, child’s play…

All that being said, i really love dreaming. I love thinking about possibilities and ways things could go. I especially love when I find someone who dreams like I do and pushes me to dream bigger than I would on my own. And maybe for a little bit I was off track- trying to keep myself from dreaming in exchange for growing up. But a little bear taught me that dreaming doesn’t mean you’re not an adult…it just means you realize that sometimes dreams are more fulfilling than the best laid plans….

 

“While I’m alone and blue as can be, Dream a little dream of me”

breathe your light

i miss stars.

when i was a not-so-little kid (ok, so like a couple years ago) my favorite thing to do in the summer was to go lay on the road and look at the stars. i know, it sounds completely stupid and dangerous, but it was really only slightly dangerous, since about maybe 5 cars went down my road after 10 pm… don’t judge my parents anyway, we used to have “road parties” where my friend and i would walk to meet each other halfway between our houses (half a mile, maybe?) and then walk and talk for awhile. eventually we’d start running out of road but still have plenty of conversation, so we’d lay right down on the pavement. usually, one of us would face one way and the other would face the opposite (just to make sure we didn’t get run over by surprise…) and we’d talk about anything and everything.

somehow the warmth of the road under you and the brilliant blanket of stars above you made you feel like you could do just about anything. dream dreams, make plans, change the world.  i know its kind of a weird thing, but…i feel like that road holds a special kind of magic in my life, even when its 600 miles away.

where is the place that holds a special kind of magic for you? could be a place in your house. maybe a favorite tree you used to climb. the secret hideout you had when you were a kid. maybe its your bed or a swing in your backyard.  wherever it is, hold onto it. don’t let it get so far away from your heart that you forget what it feels like to dream…

 

“See you and me
Have a better time than most can dream
Have it better than the best
So we can pull on through
Whatever tears at us
Whatever holds us down
And if nothing can be done
We’ll make the best of what’s around”