I got to thinking about manual cars. Do you know how to drive one? Most people don’t. I always find those who can to be impressive. We got to talking in one of my classes about things we can do that not everyone else can; this is one of mine. I learned how to drive with a manual car. It was a painful, frustrating, and rewarding experience. I learned in the parking lot of my elementary school alongside my dad. Stalling was my specialty during this learning process. In the beginning I just couldn’t seem to understand the flow between letting up the clutch and hitting the gas. It’s truly not something you can learn in an hour. It takes patience, practice, and skill. Learning how to drive a manual car, even though I don’t drive one anymore, was one of my most rewarding life experiences. It’s a skill I won’t ever forget. But it also allowed me to bond with my dad, as well as learn something incredibly unique. And who wouldn’t want to do that?

I got to thinking about limitations. We all set limits for ourselves. We think that something can’t be inventive enough because there are too many limits. But why not defy those limits? We must go back to our childhood mindsets, back to the time when anything was possible. We dreamt of being a ballerina or a superhero. There wasn’t even a shred of doubt that we couldn’t reach these goals. We were going to do it, and that was that! These dreams always seemed attainable because there weren’t limits as a child. So why can’t that be the case for adults? When presented with an opportunity that seems out of reach, remember what it was like to be a child. You can do anything you want. But you must believe in yourself.

I got to thinking about character inspiration. Writers get inspiration from everything… and everyone. Writing from what you know and notice is simply the most honest and real expression there is, and that translates into better writing. Most of my central characters have been based on those I’ve known in my life, friendly or otherwise. A good writer would never reveal who’s who, but let me tell you this: if you’ve been in my life, chances are high you’re one of my characters. Don’t think you’re not. And if you’ve ever caused me pain, chances are you’ve been pieces of several characters. Like I’ve said before, writers use storytelling as a creative outlet to get out any angst and hurt and sorrow. My advice? Don’t make a writer angry. That is, unless you want to be an antagonist.

I got to thinking about creative outlets. All creative types, me included, need an outlet for their pain and sadness and strife. Creative people can take all the difficult things in their lives’ and make it into something wonderful that is cathartic and uplifting and honest. For me, that outlet is writing. My horoscope (yes, I read my horoscope) told me today to get all that pain and sadness I have been feeling lately out into a creative realm. So I was thinking about how lucky I am to have that. Everyone is down occasionally, or maybe more than occasionally, and we all deal with it in different ways. I love that I can bring my sadness into my writing and deal with it positively. Writing is therapy, and it makes me feel a million times better. Every single time.

I got to thinking about changing. People change. All the time. Third Eye Blind, in “Never let you go” put it rather eloquently: “You say that I’ve changed; well maybe I did. But even if I changed, what’s wrong with it?” Sometimes we are forced to change because of circumstances. Sometimes we merely grow up and find ourselves. And sometimes we realize that who we once were won’t survive the grueling adult world. And you know what? All of those are okay. Changing doesn’t have to be a negative thing. Change is simply a natural part of growing up. After all, you wouldn’t want to be who you were as a teenager forever, would you?

I got to thinking about temptation. In a theology class I’m taking this semester, we have been discussing the temptation that Adam and Eve experienced when the serpent offered them the forbidden fruit. I know that temptation is, for lack of a better word, tempting. There is something intriguing about it. But I have also come to understand that temptation is not usually worth the repercussions. Everyone can relate to being tempted into something dishonorable or shady in our lives. But it is those who find themselves unfazed by temptation that make it the furthest in life. Temptation won’t necessarily give us what we want; temptation might even ruin our lives. And that is something to remember the next time we’re tempted.

I got to thinking about relationships. Someone once told me: “A relationship doesn’t have to be perfect, but a love can be.” And I find this to be accurate. If a relationship was always roses and butterflies, it wouldn’t be real. Nothing is perfect. We aren’t perfect. And that is okay. No one asked us to be. So we must carry that notion forth into our relationships. The love we have for a significant other can be amazing and unequivocal and splendid. We should always fight for these kinds of relationships. This special kind of love cannot be altered. We may find ourselves in predicaments throughout our relationships, but if we can keep that special love in the back of our minds, everything will be okay.

I got to thinking about soul mates. Can a person have more than one soul mate? Or do we have just one person perfectly right for us? Most romantics would say that one soul mate is the only thing plausible. And I would agree with that. I don’t necessarily believe only one person is right for us; I think that there are several people in the world who we could grow old with and find happiness.

But my belief also says that there is one perfect person. There are several “right” people, but one perfect person. And this person is our soul mate. And we don’t always meet our soul mate. Some of us will marry those who are excellent partners, never knowing that our soul mate is still out there. And that is perfectly fine. My advice to all those romantics out there: search for your soul mate, and if you never find that person, know that the one you’re with can be equally as good, but you must have faith. Faith will become reality.

I got to thinking about September 11, 2001. You know the day. You remember exactly what you were doing that fateful day. And it’ll never leave your mind. I was almost eleven-years-old that day, getting ready for school. My mom had heard something on the radio, so she turned on the television. And that’s when my brother and I ran into the room to watch those two planes hit the World Trade Center. I will never forget that day. It changed the United States forever. I would argue that it brought us together, just for a moment, in patriotism. Hopefully, from this day forward, we may find our patriotism without strife. To all those who lost a loved one that day, I am thinking of you. May you get through today with grace and remembrance.

I got to thinking about piracy. I have to rant about something I feel so strongly about. This practice bothers me. Greatly. Every time someone steals a movie or television show from online, writers lose money. And writers are the reason these movies and shows are created! Ripping them off is unkind and unfair. Why would you rip off the people behind the magical essence of these shows? I urge everyone who currently commits this crime (yes, it is illegal) to cease its practice. You wouldn’t steal software a Boeing programmer creates, would you? So don’t steal these creations from amazing writers across the world. Give these masterminds their credit. They whole-heartedly deserve it. Trust me.