Reflections of a Girl at School

So I have been at school now for over a month. I feel that I am adjusting okay, but I don't really know. I'm unsure of my major, but I have found great friends, and am enjoying dorm life for the most part. However, my reflection today doesn't really have anything to do with school. I want to talk about honoring our country, and more importantly those who have given their lives for this country that they love.

I had tohe honor of going to a military funeral yesterday (Tuesday) and performing Taps at the burial service. This may not seem like a big deal, but you have no idea how huge of an impact those 21 notes have on the family and other people who have served with the fallen. Now, I have played at multiple military funeral, but none of those times had quite the impact on me as this one. As I was walking across the field to speak with the legion after the service the family came over to me in tears thanking me for taking my time away from school to come play.

As I was driving back to Wartburg I received a call from my mom. There was a message on the home phone from a vet and former bugler. He had said he was so thankful to hear someone play and not try to anything fancy with it. What really got me was he also said that it is the best Taps he has heard in 30 years. I never knew what an impact me taking a little time out of my day to play my trumpet to honor vets impacted people so much.

What can you do to honor someone who has given up so much that we can live a free life that we so love today? Thanking them is great, but if you are able to play those haunting 21 notes, you don't really know what you can do. I have now joined the organization Buglers Across America. It is an organization dedicated to providing buglers for military funerals. What really hit home for me was when I got back to campus. Speaking with Doc, he told me that he was extremly proud of me for going out to do this. I did not know the military would send a cd to families of those who have passed on so that they could have a trumpet sounding Taps played, but that is so emotionless and not as haunting as the real life sound of a metal trumpet from a distance floting heavy and haunting over other graves across the graveyard.

My challenge to you, if you cannot play Taps, or don't have an interest in that type of thing, is to thank a vet or active military member every chance you get. There sacrifice is unknown to us unless you expierence it for yourself first hand.

Well, enough ranting for right now. It's time to hit the books since I am paying thousands of dollars to become educated. I must do all that I can to be successful. Be on the watch for more blogs soon

Keep smiling!

Kelli J. Lair

Nashville Mission Week Reflection

What an awsome week we had! Many new friendships were formed along with lots of laughs and memories. these kids will always have a special place in my heart. The expierence I have had this pas is like none other I have ever had. Being from small town Iowa it is hard to imagine extreme poverty mixed with total devistation left from a horrible flood. It truly has been an eye opening expierence and has made me want to return year after year from now on. Bonding with people from accross the country like we have been doing these past couple days is intense, but I wouldn't change it for the world, and a very unique opportumnity. It allows our group to learn how to live with others and grow in our maturity. We had ups, downs, and frustrations over the week, however, we applied the steps to success that we teach others on a daily basis to overcome these hurdles. I am so glad I was able to participate in this mission week, and I can see why people talk about it as highly as they do. I can't wait for next year!!!

Sisters

“In this life, family is the most precious gift we are given, the most sacred. Turn your back on them and that is when you truly have nothing.”  Yia Yia said this in the movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.  Sisters have a special bond that people cannot always understand.  What does sister actually mean then?

When most people hear the word sister they think of a girl with the same parents as another person.  Biologically this is correct.  Being an only child, I have no idea what it is like to have a sister around, but I have witnessed sibling life through my friends.  Siblings spend their fair share of time fighting, however, this relationship runs deeper than that.  These siblings can share experiences and sometimes, even work together to create a better good in their family.  They may not appreciate each other in childhood but as the years go on the bond grows stronger.

This is not the only way to define a sister however.  In fact, it does not have to have a biological connection at all.  For example, the girl that is always there no matter what time of day or night, or in any condition can be a sister.  It can be as simple as a best friend who we talk to non-stop and can’t imagine living without.  They are slow to judge, quick to forgive, and are always loving.

Being the only child I am, I have found my sister in Amanda.  Our relationship grew quickly and we were soon inseparable.  We spent every weekend together for six weeks straight and if we were not together laughing or having fun face to face, we were texting like we were together.  She is the one I go to with my problems or just to talk about any random topic.  She has moved over twelve thousand miles away, but the only change is that we do not get to see each other anymore.  The bond is still there, through thick and thin.

The prime example of non-biological sisters can be seen in the movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.  These girls were close friends, who had the common bond of the magical pants that were able to fit them all. The simple article of clothing brought an unimaginable bond to them.  Memories, worries, and stories were shared over late night phone calls, letters, and emails.  This is what being a sister is all about, being there for each other, no matter the circumstances.

Sisters are everywhere, we just may not see them as we would always expect.  A sister has that special bond that can only be broken by death and will never give up.  Friends have special connections, but a sisters goes so much deeper. 

Part XVII

People today can be hurtful, we all know that. But why is the world this way??? Do we deserve the cruelty we recieve? I don't think so. Yes, we are not perferect but we don't do things to purposely stabb people in their backs and hurt them as much as possible.

Lots of things have been going on lately. It seems as a full moon is aproaching quickly.
Everyone seems to be changing in the past couple of days. Even I haven't been myself in the last 48 hours. Something just doesn't feel right. Do you know what I mean??? Of course you do, who hasn't had that feeling once in a while, but this is even different than that! I'm trying to keep on the positive side, but it can be so hard. Anyways, back to my actual topic.

Why does society act the way they do? Who actualy know, I sure don't, and something tells me you have your own opinion, such as I do, but no one actualy know except God. People are being tempted more than ever to do evil things to each other to get what they want. Society seems to be in an "it's all about ME" phase of the game. Really we should be thinking about our families, friends, those less fortunate than us, and most importantly God. No I am not a perfect Christian. Yes, I sin and do things that I'm not always proud of, but that doesn't mean I don't try. And I daydream about being able to wave a wand and magically the world will be fixed of all their problems. No more war, hunger, fighting, saddness, or poverty.

What really is a perfect world? More importantly, what is your perfect world, and how are you going to make the broken world we live in into that perfect place?

<3 Keep smiling! <3

Kelli J. Lair

Chekc out these other blogs!
alexlang19.blogspotl.com
mmjmikaylablogs.blogspot.com
thelifeoftonia.blogspot.com
srdrummer101.wordpress.com
steveshelteredreality.blogspot.com

Part XVI

Imagine yourself sitting among 1,325 other high school students who all love to sing. That is what I had the chance to experience the past two days. I was able to go to Luther College to participate in the nation's largest honor choir. Dorian is a two day experience of singing and making friendships, but it also gave me some life lessons as well. It wasn't all just singing and music, we related ideas on how to make our world a better place and how we can change to help.

One thing that we all use today is the internet. We are all connected with Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, blogs, and many other things. These are all ways to network and share with people, however it is also a means to hurt others. With today's connected world people are able to say things that they wouldn't normally say face to face. We still have to consider people's feelings and ideas when we are online as if we were talking to them face to face. The internet has become a great tool but can also be used against us.

It is time to go to Math IV but I will continue my post later.

Alright I am back. Another thing about our generation today is texting.  Text is just like the internet in the fact that we are able to do things we don't want to do in person, such as text message breakup.  This is a horrible thing to do! And when you do it your friends could be put in the middle.  This is not fair to your friends or the person you are breaking up with.  This is so impersonal and you should do it face to face or at least in a phone call.

I think my ranting has gone on long enough even though this blog is very short.  With this time of year I am stressing out a bunch so I shall end it.

Check out these other blogs:

thomaslang19.wordpress.com

srdrummer101.wordpress.com

steveshelteredreality.blogspot.com

mmjmikaylablog.blogspot.com

thelifeoftonia.blogspot.com

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An Untitled Piece

An Untitled Piece

By Kelli Lair

            She fought back tears as she pulled it out of her special hiding place.  The metal glistened in the light as she sat turning it in her hands.  All the pain she has been feeling for weeks rushed over her as the tears fell faster to the floor.  This was all she knew; pain, torment, stress, and fear.  They never left her side no matter where she was.  There were ways to get away from it all, but she has done it so many times, when is it going to working?  This was all she knew.  She also knew it isn’t healthy or good, but it’s too much to handle this week.  As she though about getting away from it all she smiled for the first time since…the last time…

            The last time her friend found out and was scared to death.  She didn’t understand.  No one understands how the blade fixes her problems for a short while.  They know she did it last time.  They look at the scars and then slide away like she is a freak.

            This time she doesn’t care.  Everything is changing and they will forget about her after high school anyways, why would she care?  They are the ones making her life this way.  She doesn’t know that people really do care about and love her.  How would she?  She has blocked anyone from getting near her any more because she doesn’t want to get hurt again.  She runs when people try to get close.

            She pulled up her long sleeve and looked at the blade once more.  This is routine, it’s habit, there is nothing new.  She shuts her eyes and bites her lip to keep quiet.  The pain is what releases the pain she has been feeling.  Then she feels the blood run down her arm and hears a gasp.  Looking up she sees her sister watching her.  She gets up off her bed, walks over the to door, and shuts it all the while looking disgusted with the young girl.

            Little did she know her sister looked up to her for guidance and what she saw that day was the only way she had seen to deal with life and conflict.  Here sister had no idea that what she had seen was going to ruin her life.  All she knew she loved her older sister and whatever was good for her must be good enough.  Something, however, didn’t seem right.

            A few days later a knock came at the door.  She hid the knife under her pillow and called for the visitor to come into the room.  Her baby sister opened the door meekly and sat down next to her.  They sat in silence looking at their hands in their laps.  Her sister looked up at her knowingly and looked back at the long sleeves that were covering the scars.  She reached out and pulled up the sleeve to reveal them.  She looked in amazement at the sheer number of them and drew her finger across many.  Then she looked at her own long sleeves and pulled one up.  The girl looked and knew right then and there that she was loved and shouldn’t be doing this any more.  What was on the little girl’s arm?  Was there scars from her own cutting experience?  No…

            “I love you.  Please stop hurting yourself!  I look up to you, and I LOVE YOU. <3”