"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

Des Moines, IA. The city I ran from... all the way to Australia. Here I am again, and I forget how pretty it is. The crisp, cold air (whips through straight to the bone). The color of the trees. The skyline. I still love you Des Moines, even though you broke me down.

Things have changed, and I have driven past some of the spots that used to hold such ugly memories from me, and I couldn't think one bad thought. I actually could appreciate them again. The happiness that I thought was perhaps only based on where I was physically; but, alas, it is truly mental. I'm happy... even right next to a campus that, for so long, I thought offered me nothing except heartbreak. I see Drake for what it was... a challenge that I had to overcome. It offered me some amazing friends and amazing lessons. I can look back now and see the fun I had... the crazy moments and the times I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. The late nights and random moments. The close friends and the passerby... every little moment that was so good is still there in my mind, just for so long I couldn't see them because I focused on all the bad. And, the bad was such a tiny moment of my whole Drake career. I can see now that Drake was amazing.

I wouldn't change it for the world.

As I was driving around today I heard this song a few times... September by Daughtry. Beautiful.

How the time passed away? All the trouble that we gave
And all those days we spent out by the lake
Has it all gone to waste? All the promises we made
One by one they vanish just the same

Of all the things I still remember
Summer's never looked the same
The years go by and time just seems to fly by
But the memories remain

In the middle of September we'd still play out in the rain
Nothing to lose but everything to gain
Reflecting now on how things could've been
It was worth it in the end

Now it all seems so clear, there's nothing left to fear
So we made our way by finding what was real
Now the days are so long that summer's moving on
We reach for something that's already gone

Of all the things I still remember
Summer's never looked the same
The years go by and time just seems to fly by
But the memories remain

In the middle of September we'd still play out in the rain
Nothing to lose but everything to gain
Reflecting now on how things could've been
It was worth it in the end

We knew we had to leave this town
But we never knew when and we never knew how
We would end up here the way we are
Yeah we knew we had to leave this town
But we never knew when and we never knew how

Of all the things I still remember
Summer's never looked the same
The years go by and time just seems to fly by
But the memories remain

In the middle of September we'd still play out in the rain
Nothing to lose but everything to gain
Reflecting now on how things could've been
It was worth it in the end

***

Remember, the bad in your life does not define you... it is how you handle it that makes you who you are. I'm still learning to this day... learning and growing. I still have issues in my life, whether it be personally or external... but, I like to think that I'm learning how to take things in stride, listen to other people before making judgements, and remember to always forgive.

Love,

Michaela