You're young and beautiful, darling

I have decided to dust off this old blog and start writing again.

Even as I write this to you, "the audience," I'm not really expecting anyone to read beyond this post other than my mom and Elise (and Elise only said she would to make me feel better about it). However, I have been toying with the idea for a few months now, and I'm just going to do it for my own personal enjoyment. If any of you out there do decide to read further than these few sentences, I will be completely shocked and extremely humbled.

.......

I guess I should give context to the name of this here blog, shouldn't I? Some people asked me last summer when I first wrote our travel blog, but unfortunately, I never addressed the question. Since there probably isn't a better re-introduction to this blog, here it is:

Last summer was a big deal for me. A REALLY big deal. I was offered my first professional job, I accomplished a life long dream of traveling around Europe, went through some major life changes/ witnessed major life changes in my friends' lives, and for the first time started to feel like "an adult". With the passing of a year since the most turbulent summer of my life, I can definitely pin point those three months as a pivotal point in my life. I am sure all you "older" people reading this (if there are any) and rolling your eyes and thinking, "You ain't seen nothin' yet, dearie!" However, in my very short 24 years of life, last summer was a big deal!

Anyway, last summer I also read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. While I was reading it, because I am dorky and naive, I thought, "Holy crap. I could be her!" Really, the only things we would remotely have in common to talk about if I ever met her would be we both love to eat and to travel; preferably doing both activities at the same time. Regardless, I greatly enjoyed reading her story and took much of her insight to heart; specifically this part:

Gilbert is in Indonesia meeting a group of people for the first time. After a night of flirting, drinking, dancing and thoroughly enjoying herself, she is driven home by a [charming, attractive] man. He comments to her that she looked like she had a wonderful time and that she should let loose more often (important to note that she spent the previous three months in an ashram in devoted worship and reflection). She, feeling a little guilty, jokes that she shouldn't because she only has the one nice dress to wear and would be too self conscious to be wearing the same dress every time she went out with these new friends. Then, of course Mr. Charming, Attractive man says, "You're young and beautiful, darling. You only need the one dress."

Right?! Do men actually say stuff like that? 'Cause they should.

I love that. I think I reread it three times before I moved on to the next chapter.

For whatever reason, that little compliment stuck with me and I decided it was good philosophy for living a happy, full, honest life. For me, it is a conscious reminder to enjoy myself and like myself and to not be caught up in silly, superficial insecurities I seem to talk myself into.

Plus, I really like wearing dresses.

So, that is where the blog title came from. I liked it then for our travel blog, for that crazy summer, and it still applies even now so I decided to keep it. And that is the story.

Hope you enjoy the blog. Read it. Please.