You are important.

I may not be the best writer in the world. I may never get there. My blog is fluff most of the time; at least that is how I feel lately. That’s why I don’t write all that much anymore. There is one thing that I know; I am passionate. I… love. I am driven by this need to help people. Ultimately, maybe that is really what I want my writing to do.

Ultimately, it is what I want to do.

Here is what else (some words that I less wrote that more so escaped):

I see you. You’re depressed. You’ve been hurt. You are broken. I love you. It’s going to be okay. I’ve been you; I am you.

I want to reach out and touch you because I know it feels impossible. I want you to know that you can grow stronger because of this. It isn’t your fault. You aren’t weak. You are strong and you are beautiful.

Listen to me! Don’t listen to them! Don’t listen to those that hate, that mock. You CAN make it. You CAN find happiness. It is okay to need help. It is okay to sometimes feel the way you do. It is normal. You are not bad; you are not wrong; you are not damaged; you are good. You know this; you want to know this.

Please, listen to me. Reach out to those around you. Reach out far. There is someone who wants you to be happy. They won’t always get it right, but there is always someone there who can help. They want to help, just like I want to help.

If I could, I would do all that I could to fix your life, but we are strangers only united by that idea. What I can do is maybe tell you honestly that I have been there, and some days, some months, some years, I still am. But I am still here. And I can do good. I can love. I do love. Very much. I think that it is worth something… I know I am worth something. And you are too, even though some days you don’t believe it, maybe even most days.

Please remember what I am saying. Remember what you read here; if you ever feel broken down, if you ever feel like you can’t make it. You can. You are beautiful and strong. This is important.

Reach out to me, reach out to anyone. You matter. You are loved. You are important.

Love, love, and more love,

Danielle

Simple Pleasure #3

A little late in the day, but nonetheless…

Picnics

Whether spontaneous or planned, traditional or picking up fast food and heading to the park, going to the park/beach or spreading out a blanket in your front yard on a pretty day, picnics are fantastic.  Personally, I try to keep a good picnic blanket in the car at all times, just in case. “]  I see no reason to ever eat indoors and waste the beautiful weather, not every day can be sunny and nice.

One of my favorite days was picking up some food from Burger King (I love their veggie burgers!), grabbing the blanket, and heading to the park with Matthew to sit down and eat.  Afterward we played on the playground, which was a total plus.  And this was in January, which proves that picnic weather can appear at any time and should be taken advantage of.

I think it’s really important to remember that the simplest things that we can do, like taking our lunch outside and spending time with each other, are the things that can be most filled with joy.  How can we stand to forget how much fun picnics can be?

And, how much fun food is. “]

Picnics win.

List of things

Originally posted on Facebook, this is my list of things.

::Edit:: 3/30/2010…
::Edit:: 5/20/2010…
::Edit:: 6/20/2010…

1.Fall in love with the right guy for once.

2.A. Get engaged. B. Marry my best friend.

3. Live in Ireland for at least a few months, hopefully a year.

4. Publish at least one novel.

5. Obtain my tattooing license.

6. Have my own family.

7. Read every book on my ever-expanding reading list.

8. Work as a bartender.

9. Work in a bookstore.

10. Become fluent in a foreign language.

11. Travel.

12. Live in the city.

13. Really make a difference and help people.

14. Own ‘our’ own home.

15. Have too many pets. =]

16. Convince Matthew to become a vegetarian.

17. Graduate from high school.

18. Eventually do the college thing.

19. Learn to knit.

20. Get better at crocheting.

21. Paint a masterpiece.

22. Do photography on the side.

23. Own my own hamburger phone.

24. Live in a crazy apartment.

25. Manage to cook several things at once without ruining a single dish.

26. Kiss a girl, and like it!

27. Own a hybrid!

28. Own my own car in general.

29. Be as close to environmentally friendly as possible.

30. Create and sell my own art.

31. Spend the rest of my life with him.

32. Direct a play.

33. Write and publish a play.

34. Be an inspiration to someone.

35. Be an aunt.

36. Be a Godmother.

37. Be a Bride’s Maid.

38. Be a Maid of Honor.

39. Learn to swing dance!!!

40. Have a daughter. (At least one–When I start having children I will not stop trying until I get a girl!)

41. Model. (Yeah, I know I’m too short.)

42. Witness a miracle.

43. Witness the birth of an/a animal/litter.

44. Get a tattoo!

45. Get my lip, nose, or eyebrow pierced.

46. Be confident about my singing voice.

47. Go on a road trip with no predetermined destination.

48. Travel by plane, train, and automobile.

49. Move in with the love of my life.

50. Make my own wine.

51. Make dandelion wine.

52. See the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup.

53…