Day 2: Post something that inspires you. 
My whole life I've grown up with tires. I know, that sounds strange but my dad has worked for Discount Tire Company my entire life. Last month Discount had their 50th year anniversary commemorating the start of the company. For them it was a weekend celebration acknowledging everyones hard work and dedication to a common goal. (Here's the inspiring part) Bruce Halle started Discount Tire Company 50 years ago in Ann Arbor, Michigan with only 6 tires in his entire inventory. Not having an air compressor to actually pump up the tires didn't break him down, instead he marched to the local gas station to pump up the tires as he sold them. Now, at 80 years old, and an avid tennis player, Mr. Halle runs the largest independent tire and wheel retailer in the entire world, running more than 750 stores nation wide with over 11,000 employees. And to think, only 50 years ago he only had 6 tires to his name.

To me, inspiration is never giving up. Inspiration is believing and pursuing goals regardless of the situation and trials around you. He held true to his faith, dreams and aspirations and didn't let the little voice in his head bring him down. Bruce Halle is truly an inspiration. Bruce Halle inspires me.

Blogs are the most intriguing forms of communication to me. I mean, they're basically a forum for people to write and say whatever and hope that someone finds it interesting. For me, I love blogs, I love finding great ones, following those that move me and sometimes re-blogging ones with purpose. My dear friend Rachel posted this 'challenge' on her blog and she's currently attempting it. 30 days - 30 different things to write about, she's on day 5 and each day I eagerly check to see what the next day will look like. So I decided to take on the same challenge. It might take me longer than 30 days and it doesn't mean I wont blog other awesome things, but here it is, today starts the challenge- stay tuned, this could be fun. 

Too many of us stay walled in because we are afraid of being hurt. We are afraid to care to much, for fear that the other person does not care as much or at all"- Eleanor Roosevelt

This weekend celebrated not only those in the graduating class of 2010, but it marked one year since my fancy walk across the same stage. It marked one year since I left my 'home' to move back to my real home. It marked one year since I was an undergrad. It marked my one year.

This weekend was a different type of graduation for me. It wasn't mine, but in some ways it felt like I was doing this all over again. As I sat, sweating in the stands watching my peers graduate, the memories of my big day came flowing back. In an instant I was back in that same moment, anticipation in my heart, butterflies in my stomach, excitement running through my veins.

I felt like all those in the class of 2010 felt, 'don't fall, walk gracefully, smile at the camera.' I thought about the goodbyes I'd have to say, the hugs and the tears.

2009 will always be my class, but in some sense, 2010 will also have a place in my heart. It will forever be my pledge class (go kappa PC 06), it will always hold the boy who stole my heart, the girl who became one of my best friends and memories that regardless of class or standing will never be forgotten.

2010 and 2009 were so very different, but each to their own, held a huge part of my heart. So, while this weekend was dedicated to celebrating the graduating class of 2010, for me it was my own personal graduation. Although I didn't get to walk across the fancy stage again, I did so in my heart and my head.

So, for me, it was the first time in a year that I finally said goodbye to Pepperdine for good. To the graduating class of 2010, thank you for a fun weekend, and thank you for the closure I've been looking for for the past year, I owe you. Now get out there and do big things, believe in yourself and believe in miracles, they're out there, I promise, you just have to look for them.

I spent some time this morning reading over some of my old blogs... it's weird, because it's instantly put me back in those places, the heartache, the nerves of graduation, and the feelings of insecurity. I think its a good thing sometimes to reflect on the pat, but I don't really know how to process all of those feelings, because for some of those feelings I am so far away from them, and the others, it's like I felt those feelings just yesterday. When I re-read (this one), I instantly felt the pang of sadness that writing this blog came with. I can't seem to think what if. What if I had taken advantage of the last 26 days more? What if I hadn't toasted the memories? But the biggest of all, what if I hadn't had that conversation? Where would 'we' be right now? Did I ruin everything so long ago that it can never been fixed? Honestly, I have no idea. In my perfect world, I'd jump back, erase that conversation and be here - in a totally different place but I realized a couple things this morning. After reading through my past blogs, I realized that there are many instances where I think "what if" But where is that going to get me besides regret and sadness? If I am always thinking 'what if' I'm never going to be able to make a decision completely. If I think 'what if' when deciding where to attend law school, I'm never going to go. If I think 'what if' I'll never be able to let go and do. Maybe I have to start thinking 'do, go, be.' Do things, go places, be something, be someone to the someone you love. Because the problem with what if's is that there never going to go away. If we let them, that thought process will always be there, but its what we do with it that matters. It's who we are. So at the end of all this, I realized that I don't have to look back on the past with sadness, but I can look at it all with joy and happiness and see how far I've come, without all the what-ifs.