kickingbare

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On beauty

You have earned the right to feel beautiful in your own skin.

Surround yourself with people who feed this beauty.

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I felt helpless and I didn’t know what to do so I wrote.

Seventy people died tonight because a truck “mowed them down.”

I don’t know why this one was so much harder to swallow than the countless other terrorist attacks recently both in my country and in the other countries we share our world with. Maybe it was because I’ve walked on those streets, because I have a beautiful host mom and a host family there. Because I have memories there.

(“But you’re an American. What do you know of terror?”)

This one isn’t any more or less horrific than any of the attacks in Brussels, Iraq, Paris, San Bernadino or any other city that has been witness to violence we should only ever see in nightmares, if even there.

(No, I wasn’t there for any of those. I can’t begin to imagine the pain you all went through. Please excuse me for trying to empathize.)

But this one stings. This one made me drop to my knees and cry. Not for me. Maybe for the families and friends of those who were killed or injured, maybe for the amazing people I met in that city, but even more so because of the state our world is in that this is even possible.

A truck.

They were killed by a truck barreling through what was supposed to be a day of celebration.

Wrap your head around that.

… But why should you have to?

“Reach for the stars.” That’s what Buzz says in Toy Story.

Andy Grammar tells us “you gotta keep your head up.”

Mark 12:31 tells us to love thy neighbor as thyself.

(Will I be condemned for throwing a Bible verse in here? For using the word condemned in this context?)

I could drop 10,000 more inspirational quotes we post on social media every day about making the best for yourself, loving one another and doing good in the world. But it wouldn’t make up for the number of lives lost in these recent, senseless tragedies.

And it really makes me wonder.

(Me, in my safe apartment in the U.S.A. I’m capable of feeling sadness, too, even if I haven’t felt it in the same ways you have.)

I want to have a family one day. It’s been a dream of mine, and I’m sure many women, since they were little girls.

(This isn’t a comment on feminism. It’s merely a goal of mine.)

But I got in my shower tonight and thought, “Is this the world I really want to bring children into?”

I was fortunate enough to receive free tickets to a music festival from a local publication today, but I looked at them on my table after the attack and let the thought “will I be safe there?” run through my mind.

I try not to think this way. Because living in fear of something that hasn’t happened is the worst way to live. Especially for someone who believes in all of those motivational quotes.

But tonight, after hearing a truck mowed down innocent lives, including children, and then a gunman got out and opened fire on the crowd, I let those thoughts take over for a while.

I don’t know very much about the Islamic State, except what I’ve read recently in the media. It hasn’t even been confirmed yet if they were even behind this attack. But a general principle of being a human is to love each other, to look out for one another and support each other.

(This is a principle many people fail to follow on a daily basis. But it is one we look to in times of tragedy. Imagine if we did this every day.)

Isn’t this what they want, to inspire fear in us? I can’t wrap my head around that, either, but that’s the only reason I can think of for this terrible violence that occurred in a city that was only trying to celebrate its independence.

It’s the only reason I can think of that innocent children would have to die after a night spent watching fireworks.

We’ve all become so critical of everything everyone says or does (I bet you’ve critiqued at least one statement you’ve read so far in this piece). Everything has to have a bigger meaning, it has to apply to everyone or you will be called out for it.

You can’t put your thoughts out there without someone telling you you’re wrong because you didn’t include (insert race, religion, gender, demographic, etc. here).

Hiding behind a screen, it’s easy to tell someone their words don’t count, don’t matter. But telling people they don’t matter is not going to make this world, that is feeling so much hurt, a better place.

I don’t have every single point of view. I only have mine, and what I’ve learned being a human. So I am writing this as a human, who loves other humans and wants to see her fellow humans be happy.

Because happiness isn’t specific to a place, or a time, or a gender, or a race, or a religion. Happiness is universal. And when you can’t be happy, you still need to have hope. And strength and support, all of which come from being a human to other humans.

Send your thoughts to the humans in Nice, France, who are struggling to comprehend how their home became the scene of a terrorist attack. And hug the humans in your life. Give out a few more compliments, call a friend. 

Maybe when we can start making all humans feel they’re worth something, our world will hurt a little less.

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You just might find who you’re supposed to be… 🎶 Thanks for nine amazing years of not only music, but life advice, jokes, red lipstick, songs to turn to in both happy and sad times, breathtaking concerts and the chance to grow up with a celebrity who makes time to interact with all her fans and give back to those who gave so much to her. She’s still got a lot to learn, but don’t we all? @taylorswift @taylornationonline

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It doesn’t matter whether you need them or not, just treat people right.

(via deeplifequotes)

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Scary reading list

It’s that time of year again. I like being scared all year long (horror movies, get at me), but there’s just something special about being scared this time of year. 

In honor of the season, I’ve started a reading list. Here’s what I’ve got so far: 

“The Shining” by Stephen King (Seen the movie, but haven’t read the book)

“The Woman in Black” by Susan Hill

 “Anna Dressed in Blood” by Kendare Blake

“The Intruder” by Hakan Ostlundh

“The Amityville Horror” by Jay Anson

“The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson

But I want to know if you guys have any favorite scary reads. I’d love to add them to my list!

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This is seriously why Tay is the most generous celebrity on the planet. She’s always doing things for her fans, even while on tour. 

Finally got to meet Dylan, the 7-year-old who passionately danced to Shake It Off on Ellen— and this happened.

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Collect books, even if you don’t plan on reading them right away. Nothing is more important than an unread library.

John Waters (via tattooedarm)

Couldn’t agree more. Real, tangible books. Not the downloads on an iPad or Kindle. 

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Cats of Instagram

Today I received a notification saying @sir_charles_the_cat1 followed me. Never having been followed by a cat, I checked his page to see if we had any followers in common. 

I saw he followed taylorswift and at first was like, why would a cat follow Taylor? And then I found myself thinking, of course, any respectable cat would follow Taylor the cat whisperer on social media. 

Oh what a world we live in.

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You don’t need another human being to make your life complete, but let’s be honest. Having you wounds kissed by someone who doesn’t see them as disasters in your soul but cracks to put their love into is the most calming thing in this world.

Emery Allen (via quotemadness)

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Dear taylorswift

Thank you for fulfilling my wildest dreams at the XCel Energy Center Friday night, and giving me the chance to reunite with my best friend. She was feelin’ 22 (Don’t worry, there’s no bad blood between us for not playing the song despite it being her birthday), and we were all enchanted to see you. 

You’re headed to Ohio, but I wish you would come back here! I know you’ll fill the blank space in 30,000 more fans’ hearts this weekend, but we would love to shake it off with you again soon! 

You never go out of style, Taylor. Your songs have gotten me through the best and worst times of my life since high school, and you know all too well how much that means to a young girl. 

Alright, I’m getting off track. I just wanted to send you a note and let you know how much it meant to finally see you in concert Friday night. I had the best day with you.

Thank you for everything. 

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A place in this world.

I watched a brilliant speech Taylor Swift gave at a concert recently, about how we should and shouldn’t think of ourselves. It really inspired me (Tay always does, so this shouldn’t be a surprise), but it concerned me, too. Not the speech, really, but that I don’t have my life figured out. 

I’m 22 years old, I just finished an internship and I’m waiting to hear about a full-time job with the company. I have to be moved out of my house this weekend and I don’t know where I’m going yet because I don’t know where to go.

The day I graduated college the whole world seemed like my oyster, as the saying goes. Three months later, I feel trapped and scared and confused. 

My best friend moved to Tennessee for school and my boyfriend is moving to Cincinnati at the end of the month. I’m scared of being alone and scared of chasing after their dreams instead of following my own.

I know Taylor’s speech wasn’t meant to scare me, but I’m so impressed by how far she’s come since she wrote the song the title of this post alludes to. We’re only a few years apart, and she seems to have found her place in this world. I’m not saying I want to be a famous celebrity like her (I love ya, Tay, but I couldn’t handle all that fame and fortune), but I wish I knew what direction my life was taking.

That’s supposed to be half the fun of life, not knowing, but right now it seems more terrifying than anything.

Anyone else ever feel like this? 

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Random facts about The Little Mermaid that you didn't need to know but will certainly spend hours reading through. (: 

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“All it takes is faith, trust and a little pixie dust” -Peter Pan

(via turkishalien16)

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Life goal: Run down the beach in a dress holding my shoes. (preferably with my boyfriend chasing me)

Still in her evening gown, holding her shoes…someone had a fun night. From Glamour, July, 1962. Photo: Allan Arbus.

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Which is the truth, really. 

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Beautiful

Toni Garrn shot by Sølve Sundsbø and styled by Franck Benhamou for Numéro February 2009 (#100)

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Enjoy the Little Things.

There's a little old man who works as a crossing guard on weekday afternoons in my town. Not only is he a wonderful crossing guard for the children, he's the perfect role model for how we should all strive to live our lives. Whoever you are, or however many cars are going by, he is constantly smiling and waving, and will always call hello if your window is open. If you are lucky enough to be walking by, he'll always have a sweet bit of information or a nice comment to say. This man is the perfect example of how we should be friendly to strangers, and always be finding reasons to smile. There may be a lot going on in our lives, but if this man can stop to appreciate everyone while doing his job, we should all be able to do something kind for those in our lives. Even if we don't know them personally. What an inspiration.