I'm not quite sure what to think.

There are some things that I hate.

I hate when my car has a cracked radiator, and in order to find that out I have to smoke out an entire street with my overheating engine.
I hate homework, especially statistics.
I hate cold weather.
I hate seeing people being judged. People are judgmental. It's weird how after someone pulls through a challenge, you can look back and say wow, they are so cool and strong. But when they're in the middle of it, it's so easy for people to judge them.
I hate meatloaf.
Most of all, I hate when someone tells you something you already know, but haven't been able to admit. And then all of a sudden, there it is, written out for you in plain English and you know you're going to have to agree and it's not going to be easy.

But then again, there are some things that I love.

I love having the heater in my car working again... and okay, I secretly loved my smoking car because it was funny.
I love learning, especially psychology and French.
I love snow.
I love seeing people overcome judgment. When someone can pull out and be who they are, no matter what anyone says.
I love tofu.
But most of all, I love having people in my life that tell me what I need to hear, even if it is going to be hard. They have faith in me. They care. I love that, and I love them.

Nature.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." 

John Muir

Being your own.

Being independent is an interesting thing. It's not about making your own decisions really. It's about furthering your own life. So many of my friends talk about how excited they are to graduate so they can finally do what they want instead of being ordered around by their parents. But when I ask them what they are going to do, exactly, they have no answer. Apparently they are just going to sit around in their new free life and do a whole lot of nothing.

I'm excited to graduate too, of course, but not so I can just wave goodbye to my parents in the rearview mirror. I'm excited to get out there and do something with my life! College and a career and my own family are waiting for me and I can't wait to grab them! Isn't that what independence is? Getting somewhere?

There are always people who "can do what they want". And they can. Sometimes doing drugs is what they want so they go get them, or other people's stuff is what they want so they go steal it. And they do, and they get what they want. They're making their own decisions. But what they don't realize is that by doing what they want, sometimes they get things that they don't want, too. A meth addict sitting in rehab did what he wanted, but now he's stuck there and has to make a long, hard trip back. He made all his own decisions, but he's not independent.

We all want to make our own decisions, and we all can. But we all want to be independent as well, and it may not always be the same thing.

"Go now and get your own life and live it your way.

Who you are is not up to them."