Committe review and discussion Week: 6

Pennsylvania Committee review: Week 6

I, the unofficial and self appointed, Pennsylvania Committee crier ring my bell and stand up on my soap box. Greetings to one and all.

Committee member Jennie- “I started being one of those nasty girls who makes rude comments about people, who gets all caught up in the latest drama. I guess you could say I was one of those typical mean, dramatic high school girls who needed a major reality check and indeed I did receive one.” At least you learned this lesson young. It is a hard lesson to learn and some people never learn it! I am proud of you. It is not easy to admit when we are wrong and even harder to change ourselves from the inside out. “I believe that in order to live a full life you really do have to embrace everyone and everything around you. You need to try to meet every person you can, because you never know how positively that they could impact your life.” Our views on living a full life are closely related. I love your outlook.

Committee member Jon- Trying to make too many happy is one of the fastest ways to complicate your life. I think, although it is important to be unselfish and care for others, it is important to set boundaries and not try to please others at your own expense. “I face many problems in my life that I seem to make living ideally much harder. I try to make too many people happy and I do occasionally worry about menial things and tasks. I believe that most of this stems from the fact that I am a poor organizer.” I loved your statement, “ I wouldn't worry so much about my future because I would have the control to do what I needed to do instead of letting my bad habits control me.” Our bad habits can do control us. Only when we become masters of ourselves are we truly free to live our lives fully.

Committee member Connie- “I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude”. (Thoreau) I think it shows great character when some can and enjoys being alone. Many great things can happen in solitude such as discovery of self, communication with God and peace within. “That means going within your soul and search for what makes you happy, at peace, and complete. I think Thoreau experienced this as he isolated himself from society, living a simple life.” That peace is priceless when it is finally discovered. “At one time, life began to seem more like a prison than an opportunity. Not always but many times this has caused uncertainty and pain. Forgive yourself and others. This frees guilt and bitterness.” I felt like I was in a self imposed prison and there was a lot of pain because of my choices but I found hope. You talked about faith and faith is an amazing thing. I love the saying, “Our faith and attitude determine how happy we are.”