Shakespeare Had it All Wrong

It's been a while! But once I catch you up on everything, I think it will make more sense as to why. In the past few months I have changed jobs, continued going to school online fulltime, found out I was pregnant after a few 1st year marriage struggles, and with the hustle of the holidays, I guess I didn't get around to writing very much. However, as Ben and I were winding down our day, a few thoughts came to me that I would like to share, you know, with the new year among us and everything. Brace yourselves the, "New year, New Me" status' are coming. And it's not to say that's a bad thing, but a very wise man asked me a few days after January 1st one year if I had thought much about my new years resolution since then. I had to admit I hadn't. It was in the back of my mind, but no matter how many encouraging stickie notes I put up to remind me not to eat that cupcake or open that bag of chips, I seemed to, by the end of January, have given way and forgotten most of my resolve. Any day is a good day for change. A new year is just a good way to mark it.

So, with that being said, getting to the subject line, ah yes, all the cringing English teachers that read this entry title. Don't worry, I am still very much a fan, however, I think he was a bit narrow sighted in one thing.

William Shakespeare-- poet, playwright, and literary genius unappreciated by his time, got many things right. However, something that I reflected on is one of the quotes he is most famous for from his writ, Hamlet.

"To be, or not to be, that is the question."

Now, if you are familiar with Hamlet, then you are familiar with the context of that quote, so I won't go into it. However, I think life isn't as much a question of being or not... you will "be" whether you enjoy your existence, and if you decide, "not to be," well, that is sad, but you still were, in that case on the have been which leaves everyone that has come to earth on the side of, "to be,". So, to be or not to be, well, you are already, "being". But what are you doing with it? That is a much more poignant question.

Not really sure my thoughts ran much deeper than that on the subject, but it seemed interesting enough to share.

To get in the New Year's spirit though, I will share a few of the things Ben and I are looking forward to in 2016...

1.) Becoming Parents: For those of you that don't know-- SURPRISE! We are expecting our first child. I am due May 30th. Before you ask, no, we still don't know what we are having, but guesses on gender are welcome.

2.) Writing: Both Ben and I have some literary ideas we are hoping to accomplish in this upcoming year. Inspired by an author I had the privilege of meeting during our beautiful Thanksgiving holiday in the OBX, I am hoping my dream of publishing SOMETHING before I die, will be 1 step closer to fruition. Ben is also working on a novel and is much further along than I am... (overachiever). In my defense I have spent the last few months growing organs.

3.) Eat more Popcorn: No seriously. Ben always gets frustrated that even though he brushes his teeth twice a day religiously, flosses, and brushes after sugar, I have better dental check-ups than him. To ease his pain, I am going to eat more popcorn this year, so he won't have to floss in the bathroom alone.

4.) Be Fearless: Oh TSwift, your songs will echo through the minds of the next generation from the mouths of their parents. Incase you didn't get the "Fearless" and Taylor Swift reference, it was a good album, go look it up on iTunes. But, on a more serious note, one of my favorite quotes is, "faith and fear cannot abide the same territory." I have pondered countless hours on what that could mean and how I could live it more fully. With a little bit more wisdom in my soul, and a lot that I could be very afraid of this year (I mean, let's be honest, I'm young, married, pretty broke, pregnant, in school, you see where this is going... oh young adult woes!) I am aspiring to face it head on the like Jean Grey.

Photo Rights: https://www.google.com/search?q=Jean+Gray+holding+back+the+dam+from+xmen&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS487US487&biw=1093&bih=514&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwigtZaPporKAhXGrB4KHTAMDAYQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=7iTfcwv_GysggM%3A

1 day down, 365 more to go... remember the Leap Year!