One Tree Hill…You’ve Changed Me

How to begin….well…

One Tree Hill (OLD SCHOOL OTH), I love you. I hate you.

I trusted you but you betrayed me.

It’s true. My husband and I started watching you 2 years ago (don’t judge; we hate bandwagons) and when we started I believed that you would enlighten me, that you would unlock the mysteries of life for Aaron and I and at first you did. You taught us not to give up on hopeless cases, that friendship is most important, and that love conquers all. AND YOU WERE RIGHT – YOU WERE SO RIGHT

But then…
Haley went on a nationwide tour with her music.
Brooke became a successful fashion designer (Clothes Over Bro’s SON).
Nathan became a professional basketball player.
Peyton started her own record label.
Mouth became a sports anchor.
Lucas wrote and published a book.

And I was happy for them…for all of them. For this group of friends who ALL somehow achieved complete success by the time they were 22. Yes they had their struggles but each of them had a specific moment that they could reflect on and say that was the moment I realized I achieved my dreams, that was the moment I realized I made my mark on this world!
But OTH here I am…a hardworking 25 year old and I haven’t had my moment yet. I have talents and abilities, I have struggles and insecurities, I have worked hard and sacrificed much and I still haven’t achieved stardom or ultimate success. People don’t know who I am. I am not famous and my name will probably never be written in history books. When I compare my life to Haley or Brooke or Nathan or Peyton or Mouth or Lucas I am a failure.

Just yesterday I was out celebrating one of my best friend’s birthday and we ran into some old friends – old friends that are doing so well! Old friends that are in a place in their careers that I wish I was in and as I was sitting at the tables trying to celebrate all I could do was compare my life with their lives — all of them Haley, Brooke, Nathan, Peyton, Mouth, Lucas, my college friends, my high school friends, my family, my coworkers…every single one of them. And to be honest, it wasn’t looking very good.
As much as I would like to lie and say that in that moment I realized that being a household name, people knowing who I am, and making a lot of money aren’t the measure of success I CAN’T!

I remember growing up people would tell me that I was destined to be a world changer ((if you have ever heard that…raise your hand…every person alive is raising their hand)) and I thought what that meant was that the world would know who I am. Like Mother Teresa or Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King Jr. or Eleanor Roosevelt.

BUT I only have 966 Facebook friends….

So today as I was over thinking like I ALWAYS DO – I started to call to mind people that have changed MY WORLD – my mother, my step-father, my grandparents, my Aunt Debbie and Uncle David, Aaron, Bonnie, Niki, Pastor Donnie…so many more, so many more people that you probably have never heard of or read about. But if they hadn’t simply existed…my life would be different. I am the person I am today because of every interaction I have had in my lifetime.
As sentimental and naive as it sounds we truly are ALL WORLD CHANGERS. Whether we realize it or not our simple interactions with each other are changing the world every day. Whether or not people know your name…whether or not people tell your story 100 years from now…whether or not you find the cure for cancer, or create your own fashion line, or play professional sports, or sing in front of 1,000,000 people YOU HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD JUST BY BEING IN IT.

The question really is…have you made this place better or worse?? Something to think about…and something you can change if you don’t like your answer. OOOOOOOOOOOOO deeeeeeeeeep.

Yes it’s true…this has been a bit “It’s A Wonderful Life”ish but that’s because IT’S TRUE…IT IS A WONDERFUL LIFE and YOU ARE A WORLD CHANGER sooooo go change the world!!!

By the way…I have been working on some hand lettering stufferola. So check out this piece I just worked on with the help of my amazing husband! It is one of my favorite quotes and it was also the gift I made for my above mentioned friend who’s birthday we celebrated.

“There is a tide in the affairs of men.
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.”
William Shakespeare