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.

I got to thinking about the beauty of the world. Just look around you. This world is beautiful. Ever drive through Big Sur on California Highway 1? You’ll understand why I say this. But besides that, this world is magical. From human creations like the pyramids in Egypt to natural world wonders like the ocean, this world has so much to offer, so much to see. If I were given the time and money, I would certainly travel all over the world to see every beautiful sight written down in every guidebook. Wouldn’t you? To truly understand life, one must understand the world they live in. With that comes appreciation. And shouldn’t we appreciate this wonderful world?

I got to thinking about Twitter. I recently started a Twitter: @carolineadejong. Since Twitter emerged onto the scene, I never found its appeal. Was it for celebrities? Was it for regular people like myself? Or both? Both, I’ve found is the answer to those questions. With this new Twitter account, I’ve decided to update my blog linking both together. This won’t be an immediate thing, of course; technology hasn’t always been my friend. But I will try! I want to get acquainted with the world of Twitter; I want technology to be my friend. So please follow my Twitter! With your follows, maybe I won’t be so technology inept. That is the goal. That is all.

I got to thinking about school. It’s that time of year: back to school. The kids are all buying pencils and crayons; the teenagers are looking for book covers and locker shelves; the college students are unpacking their dorm rooms. We grow anxious about our new teachers and professors, hoping to like and understand them all. We hope that our classes aren’t too difficult, but challenging enough to learn something. Back to school season is an interesting time, to say the least. For me, I always dreaded back to school as a teenager. High school wasn’t my forte, in fact, I dreaded every single day. But as I’ve entered college, back to school doesn’t seem too bad. I love my major and most classes I have taken. Words from someone who has been there: going back to school gets better with age. And you don’t have to do arbitrary art projects!

I got to thinking about defense mechanisms. There are times when we put our walls up. Sometimes we cannot handle the pitfalls in our lives’. Sometimes we hurt those we love because we are too afraid of getting hurt. We pick fights instead of letting those we love in. But these defense mechanisms just get in the way. It is merely a softer term for stubborn or immature. We cannot love with walls up. We cannot grow when we guard ourselves from everything. We must lose the defense mechanisms. Pride is much less important when compared to developing and keeping a relationship.

I got to thinking about personalities. Can we ever fully understand those with clashing personalities? Do we want to understand? And if we do, how can we mesh together, without incessant arguments? Or is it ever possible? Will we always have to bite our tongues around those we cannot agree with? I’ve come to realize that we won’t agree with half of what other people say, but finding harmony and balance between agreeing and disagreeing is essential. Sometimes we nod our heads and sometimes we fight for our beliefs. It is all about the time and place and person. Choose your battles wisely.