A Little Different Easter

I did it.

I broke the Decker Easter bond. Out of all four children (two being older than me), I was the first one to miss an Easter. Preposterous...I know. You don't have to tell me twice.

Easter is one of those occasions where everyone in my family wakes up really early, dashes around the house to find the little Easter grass patches hidden everywhere that contain our dyed eggs, fake eggs, and a little extra candy on the side. Yes, my Dad did like to go all out for "the hunt". Then the family would always proceed to get decked out (no pun intended) in our new Sunday garb and prance over to church together. Although, I can't say all of our garb was the most fashionable... I clearly remember wearing an odd white hat that came with my dress from Dillards one year and I remember seeing a picture of my brother wearing a seer-sucker short suit (with complementary bow tie and suspenders) at the age of 3. Let's just say that one will be going in his wedding slideshow. But besides the weird fashions, it is a way of camaraderie--the fam tradition that probably correlates with everyone else's fam traditions.

On another note (in Chinese I would start this with a great ole' 反过来(fan guo lai: "on the other hand" --one of a few go-to phrases I have) this Easter there was no Easter Hunt, no new outfit, and most importantly no family with me. Instead my Easter consisted of one Cadbury egg (no more reese eggs existed on the Corner) and an Arnold Palmer to take with me on my Easter celebration in the library. Let's just say it was not the highlight of my week. While I was supposed to be celebrating Jesus' resurrection, I was dying in a library instead (at least I get props for it being a Christian one, right?). It was totally not what I was expecting for my first solo celebration of a holiday that my family usually spends eating all kinds of good food (KFC included) and sharing in laughter.

But it is funny how that sometimes happens in life. We always seem to get thrown that bone we are not expecting. What did I learn from spending Easter without my family this year? Besides the fact that Easter eggs clearly don't hide themselves, I learned that there are so many other ways to share the love of this holiday besides with just my family. For instance, with those people who were at the "Stud" spending this time the same way I was. When you feel like you are most alone--there is always someone around you that probably feels the same. Not to mention, I may not have been at a sunrise service with my family that morning, but I did get to see a beautiful sunrise from the top of a mountain in the middle of no where. Talk about beauty of a renewed day.

Whether it be not getting the major we always wanted, going somewhere we may not want to go or even having to pick a different sandwich because they are out of our favorite (it is a tough day when your go-to sandwich is not available)--those are the times that someone probably make the coolest and most life changing decisions in their life. Remember, the hardest decisions ALWAYS create the best memories because God is shining in more ways than the one you want. Yes, it may be hard at first to accept change, but an awesome quote always comes to mind with this:

"Barn's burnt down--

now

I can see the moon"

-Mizuta Masahide

So maybe I didn't get to spend Easter with my family. Maybe I was the only one of four to not get an Easter basket this year. Maybe I was the only one of seventeen not at my family gathering, and maybe I did have to spend my whole day in a library (along with the night), but I did meet a new friend, got to see the sunrise, laughed a lot, discovered some great music that I never knew was on my iTunes, finished a pretty darn good paper and still got to celebrate Easter. Just in a little different way. Hope you celebrated it as well, whichever way you could.

A Little Different Hello

This blog was started off of a whim. A slight inkling that maybe a blog was the perfect way to express those thoughts that never quite come out right when I am talking to someone, or the ones that I never even think to tell anyone in a conversation. That explanation probably sounds like the most selfish way to start a blog but maybe... just maybe by starting this blog, it will lead others to realize that they have a few things they want to express too. In a school where a majority of the students are DEFINITELY Type A, sometimes the important things get lost in the muddle of who is involved where and what date function or party is coming up. This blog is for that little time of meditation where you "lay it all down": the books, jobs, coffee dates, and frat shenanigans and actually think about where your life is going or what is important in the current moment instead of what will happen on your next week's exam.

It is hard to believe that this school year is about to be at a close. With the start of summer coming soon, that means that probably the weirdest decision I have ever made also looms. I remember clearly thinking my first year, "the people who sign up for the Shanghai Language Intensive Program have GOT to be crazy" and yet, here I am buying my plane ticket tonight for my longest time away from home yet. Not only is the time that is away from home worrisome, but it is not even similar to my home. It's China. That place that a picture of Mushu from Mulan pops in my head every time I think of it. I am not worried about Chinese people being mean (my brother and I were lovingly patted on the head by Chinese Sumo Wrestlers in Vancouver once when I was 7 so that is a good sign of future Asian relationships),but it is the fact it is simply...

different.

It is one of those times where you pick yourself up and put yourself in the most uncomfortable situation possible: similar to being lost in a theme park when you are six but imagine millions of Asians around you and writhing sea cucumbers that I just discovered they eat there. Not only that, but mainly I wonder if anyone will ever actually wonder how I am doing halfway across the world while I am gone. Will I have left a good impression on the people I love the most enough to think about me when I cannot be around all the time? Here is my point to this speal...

I almost wish God would show big flashing lights at the opportunities we take advantage of, especially with the ones we love. I admit that I am one of those people that nonchalantly does the "Hi! How are you? Great! How are you?" conversation in passing every single day. In our 21st Century who-can-get-to-the-top-first mind-set, are we really making time for those that we love and who love us too? Sometimes the time that you take to "lay it all down" and just sit with someone could be the most important part of their day and they could end up doing that for you when you need that time with them. We all need to take the time to just say "Hello" in a little different way. No.. that doesn't mean "hiya!" or "hola!"(which are great ways to say hello, I might add), but it means leave a lasting impression on everyone you meet. Actually care for them every time you see them and don't just add them to your agenda. It is something I have struggled with a lot in every aspect, but should be something on the top of my priorities. You never know when you are going to transplant yourself out of their life and really want them still there beside you even though it may not be literal. I guarantee people love you, just love them back with "a little different hello"...

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