A Manifesto-- of sorts

Starting in October of 2007 my life and lifestyle began to change drastically.  I was proven not to be invincible, and I launched on a journey that has taken me through physical and mental illnesses.  I've survived hospital stays, countless pricks of needles, urinating in small plastic containers, being slid through medical machines that would produce pictures of something, and taken pill after pill after pill.  It is almost February of 2009, and if you would have asked me 18 months ago what I thought I'd be doing today, I could have not even fathomed the experiences of this particular time in my life.

That being said, I've decided to launch myself on a new journey.  One of written word and mental exercises.  I want to write a manifesto of sorts, to lay down my principles in which I plan to live by, and outline some major decisions that will affect my future.  I considered a memoir, but at 27 and even with my recent experiences, I think that looking ahead to my future is a much more enriching exercise than writing about the past.  I have no hopes for this process, other than to articulate my life beliefs, prod my mind for ideas, and entertain my readers.  Every story has a beginning and this is mine.

I surround myself with good people, food, music, and smells.  I have a deep faith in God, and a sense of responsibility to the earth.  I allow room for other's views in conversations.  Negativity is not an option.  I am amazed at the education that I have been able to receive, and know that I am not through with my educational endeavors.  I acknowledge education does not happen inside the classroom alone, but is present in every aspect of our lives.  Some of the wisest people I know have been educated in the simplest forms.

To understand anything about my beliefs and principles, it is probably advisable to know where I come from, for it is my younger years that I feel most formed by.  I grew up on several acres in rural Pennsylvania, and the hours I spent outdoors playing with nature molded my mind.  The church I attended nurtured me into a caring, loving, nonjudgmental person.  My family with two older sisters, allowed me to believe I could do and be anything that I wanted.  

Throughout this writing, I will elaborate on many of these aspects.  I may write hundreds of words about one idea, but perhaps only a simple sentence about another.  At the end I believe that I will have learned something about myself, as well as the world in which I live, and you the reader will be inspired to do an act of kindness for this world of ours that we all share together.

**I can not give specific details about how often installments of this piece will appear, so please be patient, it is a work in progress and perhaps will be edited even after it has been posted.  I will make references to changes of previous posts if any occur**