So blessed.

When I finally open my eyes and see the life that I am living now, I can't help but feel incredibly blessed. Blessed beyond all words I could ever write. And I want so badly to try to describe the emotion I feel when I think about all the people I've met, all the things I've learned, all the places I've seen, but I just can't. I can't seem to find words eloquent enough to paint the picture just right.

All I can tell you is there are times where I feel so lucky that I have to stop and catch my breath because I know that moment was a gift from God just to me. And I cannot believe that only a little over a month ago I was in Greeley, Colorado. Greeley was just as beautiful and a true home but it was my time to see the world. Doors flew open and I was taken to absolutely gorgeous places. And one thing after another has blown me away. I feel myself getting lost in the world and this is a kind of lost where I never want to be found. People are so beautiful. The world is so radiant. And everyday that I live here I discover a new adventure, a new lesson.

And there days when all I wish I could do is see my mother and father, talk to my friends like we used too, or sleep in a bed that is my own. But this experience is worth more than its weight in gold. It's not just the lifelong friends I have met, or the timeless beauty that exists in Europe; it's the experience of seeing very different cultures meet in a new place and compromise. It's learning to see past stereotypes and misconceptions that we have made of each other.  It's seeing that it's not impossible for people with very different cultures and backgrounds to find friends in each other. It's learning simply how to be a better human being.

Last night, my roommate and I just happened to stumble across a group of our Turkish friends locked away in one of their rooms singing together. And we had the honor of just being able to sit with them, listen to them, and learn from them. And as I sat on their beds, swaying to "Ben Seni Sevdiğimi", sipping tea; it hit me and almost brought me to tears. This all a gift. This is all one huge blessing that I was given. These people, this place, this life. All of it has touched something so deep within me that I at loss for words even to describe. This is a moment in my life that moves so deeply within my soul that I know is pure heaven on earth.

And what I have heard over and over again in my life has finally surfaced to my eyes; this is heaven on earth. Within us is heaven.

So, while I take a little more time to think this revelation out, I wanted to just list SOME of the blessings I have experienced while here or learned that I always had.

• An Awesome roommate
• A safe city
• The resources to go to new places
• Meeting the kindest people to walk this earth
• Open hearts and minds
• Deep conversations and everlasting friendships
• The opportunity to learn
• The opportunity to grow
• The chance to live life in Europe
• The opportunity to explore different cultures, histories, places, lives.
• To be a U.S. citizen and speak fluent English 
• Amazing support from my family and closest friends
• Love, deep and everlasting love

And just for good measure, I wanted to share some new goals I have for myself to try to grow even more while I live these moments:

• Travel more (Poland, Greece, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria. Bulgaria. Romania, France, the UK, Turkey, as many places as possible!)
• Become a more educated traveler about places before I go there.
• Learn more about photography to capture moments
• Bless others in my actions
• Learn as much as I can about the new cultures, people and histories I encounter.
• Be fearless to ask questions
• Be patient and gracious
• Be forgiving to others and myself
• Forget about what other might be thinking. 

So here's the youtube of the song our friends were singing and the Turkish and English lyrics. Enjoy my friends! And many blessings to you! Eyvallah (it means thank you in Turkish)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrBGzFt7fZQ


Turkish

Ben Seni Sevduğumi

Ben seni sevduğumi da dünyalara bildirdum
Endirdun kaşlaruni, babani, babani mi eldurdum?

En dereye dereye da al dereden taşlari
Geçti bizden sevdaluk, al cebum.. al cebumdan saçlari.

Kız evinun onine da sereceğum kilimi
Oldi hayli zamanlar görmedum, görmedum sevduğumi.

Yaz geldi bahar geldi oy açti yeşil yapraklar

Ben sana doyamadum, doysun kara doysun kara topraklar.