Journey (n.):

1. a distance, course, or area traveled or suitable for travel.
2. passage or progress from one stage to another.

It's been long. It's been challenging. It's been the best, and the worst.
I've been alone. I've had friends. I've lost friends.
I found a best friend. I found a lover. I fell in love. I broke someone's heart. I broke my own heart.
We came through the rough spots. We laughed together. We cried together. We yelled at each other. We snuck off together. We kissed each other. We hated each other (but never really did). We came together. We moved away. We lost ourselves. And we found each other again.
This journey is unpredictable. It's exhilirating. It's scary as hell. We're growing up. Time is flying by and has no intention of slowing down.
It's our time now. It's frightening. We're young. We're children. We're taking control of our lives. We have to. We have no idea what we're doing.

We have each other.

Blessed (adj.):

1. divinely or supremely favored; fortunate.
2. blissfully happy or contented.

It's unfortunate that only in the face of tragedy do we open our eyes to how beautiful the world is. It's sad that we only see how much we have when we see how much another has lost.

I am blessed. Blessed with a family, blessed with a place to go when it seems that I'm alone. I'm blessed with strength, with love, with support and happiness... I'm blessed with something to live for.

Life is far too fragile to take anything for granted.

To stand (v.):

1. to take a position or place.
2. to take up or maintain a position or attitude.
3. to remain firm or steadfast.

When we first met, I was in the process of making myself into the person I had always wanted to be. And it wasn't because of you. All you did was show me that the person I had become was someone worth loving... someone to be proud of. And I loved me. And I was proud of myself.
When this first started, I told myself, and everyone else, that I could stand alone. So, that's what I'm going to do.
When this first started, I said, "I am who I am, with or without you." I think it's time that I proved that.

Serenity (n.):

1. the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil.

Maybe it's time that I just sat back and let life come as it will. Because life is too short to stress over. And we are not in control. It is not up to us to decide what happens in the universe. It is only up to us to decide how we're going to react to it.

God,
grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.

To belong (v.):

1. to be proper or due; to be properly or appropriately placed, situated, etc.

Sweatpants. Tank top. Early morning. Laying on the hard, concrete gym floor. The smell of paint, floor, guard. The most comfortable place I've ever slept. Every muscle aching, feet throbbing, bruises in places I didn't even realize. Incessant clapping. Yelling. "Oh dear God, we need to do that again." Rifles dropping. Poles clanking against each other. Sun shining through the flags in the windowsill. Dusty bars of light falling on the floor, making the shooting star sparkle even more than usual. And amidst all of the pain, the noise, the fatigue, the sweat and tears and the long hours, I find peace.

I know, this is exactly where I belong.