Happy

So I hardly ever write on this blog except to share amazing news or highlights of my life. Well, I just got ENGAGED! I think this merits a blog post :) I am happier than I have ever been in my entire life and it is because my future never looked so wonderful. I get to marry and be with the man of my dreams forevermore. What's not to love about that?! He is spectacular, ladies. I am even jealous of myself sometimes :) Well, here I go rushing off to work and other boring things, but I do them now as an engaged woman with an amazing fiancé. Oh. Yeah.

XO Rae

Elation

I love him. End of story. To quote my favorite show Downton Abbey, "I would never be happy with anyone else while he walked the earth." My heart is gone. It is all over.

Rae

This Is F***ing Awesome

I'm having a great time here. Can you tell? He's amazing and I can't help myself with this post. I've never had so much fun in my whole life and there's no one I'd rather be with. He's so wonderful and we can just be silly :) Laughs and love anyone?

XO Rachel

A Life of Grace

If you haven't seen the movie "Tree of Life", I highly suggest you do; if nothing else, for the feelings you get when you watch it. I've been in a sort of rut lately..unexplainable feelings, monotonous discord with the world and those around me, nothing like the vibrant iridescence that I want to exude. (Yes, I made a reference to my own blog, but I did choose that name for a reason, didn't I?) But I digress. The beginning of the movie is strewn with beautiful music, photography, and flashes of light. Jessica Chastain's voice is heard in the midst of it all: "The only way to be happy is to love. Unless you love, your life will flash by. There are two ways through life - the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you'll follow. Grace doesn't try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries. Nature only wants to please itself. Get others to please it too. Likes to lord it over them. To have its own way. It finds reasons to be unhappy when all the world is shining around it. And love is smiling through all things. No one who loves the way of grace ever comes to a bad end."

I didn't intend for this post to be a plug for a movie, but it sums up what I have to say exquisitely. I want to strive to live the way of grace. I want to be patient, kind, honest, and loving to those in my life, especially my dearest love in all the world. I want only the important things to matter, to never be quick to anger or be cross. It is never worth it. I have been trying it out this week: trying to be understanding, not acting selfish, focusing on the other person I'm talking to. Sometimes it is difficult, but I find that you are always rewarded in some way. Strangely enough, I can relate this to my theatrical training. I was told that when I am in a scene onstage, I should always make it about the other person. If both actors do this, then both will shine, selflessly creating a true and honest portrayal of what they are given. You know what? I wouldn't mind using this as a model for my relationships. Not at all. For it sounds very much like the way of grace to me.

Rachel

2013.

Rang in the New Year with the traditional champagne, streamers, horrible television coverage, and a kiss from my love to make that all go away :) I also just returned from an unbelievable trip to California. I felt more alive than I have in awhile and when I returned I vowed to keep a semblance of that feeling intact. A New Year is always an excuse to go on a diet, and how typical right? But it's actually a great time to start, so I have! I've been wanting to shift my eating back to clean and raw. So far I've been successful! In the coming days, you'll probably see pictures, recipes, etc.  All potentially boring, but it really helps to "journal" something like this. So far I've made kale chips, spaghetti squash with avocado sauce, and cauliflower buffalo wings. (recipe from skinnytaste.com) I've been in flavor heaven and climbing the peak of health. I'd say it's a good start. Wouldn't you?

Rachel

A New Definition

Well well, Rachel. Here you are, not writing, but boy are you living. Life is still pretty much the same; working the good old job, being a part of some insanely good theatre, making friends. The only thing that's changed is I am officially happier than all get out. (I agree, interesting choice of words, but it's the first thing that came to mind so I'm going with it.) So, who's causing this insane happiness? This luminescent quality of life? This incessant fall into love?

He is.

Waking Up

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling 

in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, 

what seizes your imagination will affect everything. It will decide 

what will get you out of bed in the mornings, what you will do with 

your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who 

you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and 

gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything."

Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

When you do, you will know. When love stirs ever fiber of your being, everything is different. You feel different, refreshed, as if you had drunk some rainwater. Life itself makes you giddy, laughing comes more easily, and you'll wonder why you are smiling so much. It's like being tireless, excited, invigorated, and breathless all at once. So, fall in love with someone, with your life, and stay there. It's just the beginning.

Rae..