Aurelia- I walk into the school. It's my first day. I loathe first days. I see gaggles forming, which I try to stay away from. Some dude with a hat runs into me. "Watch where you're going!" I snap at him, knowing I'm blushing furiously.
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people. -Abraham Joshua Heschel
I see a nice looking teen girl. I walk over to her, and say, "Hi. I'm Ruby. Ruby Collins. What's your name?" "Hi, I'm Maria..." She says. "Oh, nice to meet you. Do you know what these "tests" are going to be? I'm kind of nervous..." I say, flashing a bright smile at her. I push my hair out of my face.
Aurelia- First is laps. Not knowing what we'll be doing next in this test, I try not to burn myself out on the first part. Consequently, I'm in about the middle of the pack throughout the run. When I reach the end, I'm barely worn. "Now what?" I ask.
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people. -Abraham Joshua Heschel
Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light. — Brené Brown