that Catholic tradition I can't get enough of....

I have a confession to make.... I LOVE LENT! Seriously, ever since I started doing it, back in high school, my testimony of it has only grown.  It wasn't until I got to BYU that people said "But Corrine, you aren't Catholic"..... Well, I didn't know I had to be Catholic to find a reason to be closer to God. My bad.

See... that is what I love about Lent. The purpose of it-- to honor Jesus Christ.  In similitude of Christ fasting for 40 days, Catholics started the tradition of giving something up for the 40 days before Easter. Over the years I've given up TV to laziness to chocolate. Man, that last one was a toughie.

Ever since I realized Lent started crazy early this year, I've been thinking about what to do. I wanted to be prepared; really give this the deep thought such a tradition deserves. The idea came to me-- give up "mediocrity".  I pushed it aside because, how do you measure that? I mean, it's a good idea because someone once told me that the problem with my generation is that we are okay with being mediocre.  (I'm sure the same could be said for every generation).  But that idea-- MEDIOCRITY-- kept coming back.

I kept seeing all these inspirational quotes like:

So I did what any human being would do-- fall into a funk because I felt like the universe was telling me I am mediocre.  :)  Seriously though, all these "signs" seemed to be telling me that I'm being mediocre right now and something needs to be done about it.

I'm not mediocre because I make mistakes, just in the same way that what makes me extraordinary is not not making mistakes. I'm mediocre because I'm not living up to my potential. What is my potential? Well, I'm not entirely sure but I know it's big because I am royalty. I'm a daughter of God ....You see, it's GOD who makes me extraordinary. It's his influence, his belief in me, his Holy Spirit that inspires me to achieve great things; and it is his grace and strength that helps me do them.

So.... I AM going to be giving up mediocrity for Lent. And I'm going to do that by giving up for 40 days, those things which are taking my time away from God. (Admitting of course that I'm the weak one who can't help but be distracted by such things). So, what does that mean? That means no movies/TV (with one exception), no Facebook (minus once a week where I can answer messages since its the only way I have to communicate with some very important people in my life), and no internet. Goodbye Buzzfeed, goodbye Pinterest for 40 days. This doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to turn into a monk and only read my scriptures but let's just say I'll have a lot more time on my hands for service, for reading great literature, for mediation, for exercise... all those things which feed my soul and make me feel closer to God.

Lent 2013.... let's do this. 

may the future be brighter than the past

This is that time of year when every blogger is writing about this past year and their resolutions for the next. I decided instead to tell you of the New Year’s Resolution I have made for the WHOLE HUMAN RACE. I know, who am I to tell others what to do? I guess I should call this my “New Year’s Wish”. 

You see, I have gone through a lot this year that has only opened my eyes more to a matter that makes me fearful for our human existence. I feel like my favorite Disney princess who so wisely exclaims, "Look around you. This is where the path of hatred has brought us." My wish is only one word but like I said, this is a concept that mankind has struggled with since its existence but hey, we got some pretty awesome people living on this planet nowadays so why not now? Why not this year? 

The word is UNDERSTANDING. Do you understand what it means to really understand something? It means so much more than to just hear. It goes deeper than that. Compassion, respect, acknowledgement are all at the heart of understanding. In anthropology, we are encouraged to not just be flies on the wall but rather, to do what they do; live like they live.  This, we are taught, is the best way to truly understand. To borrow a cliche, we are encouraged to "walk a mile in their shoes".  

In order to be prepared to "walk a mile" and to be effective in it, our ears must be open.  Our minds must be open.  Our hearts must be open.  Often, because of my hearing loss, people ask me “did you catch that?” or “did you hear that?”  I always reply: “Well, I can HEAR but I can’t understand” meaning I can hear sounds and know someone is talking but my mind often fails to grasp what exactly they are saying.  I think too often in our lives, we hear without understanding.  We see without comprehending.  We feel without feeling.

In the Genocide Memorial in Rwanda lies a quote by Felicien Ntagengwa.  I’m not sure if she was a victim but her words pierced me. 

“If you knew me and really knew yourself, you would not have killed me”

A deep acknowledge of where misunderstanding comes from-- not knowing the other person, and really, not knowing ourselves (I encourage you to think about this one for a moment). A poignant thought and a solemn reminder of where misunderstanding ultimately leads. It does not have to be psychical death-- it could be the casting out of a family member; the bullying of a classmate or neighbor; the abandonment of a friend; and sadly yes, sometimes even violence. 

Cain and Abel.The Holocaust. Rwanda. The Herero. The Balkans. Cambodia. Armenia. Palestine and Israel.  Feminists and non-Feminists. Conservatives and Liberals. Shiites and Sunni. History is full of people, families, regions of the world torn apart because of misunderstanding. Ruth Benedict, a famous anthropologist wrote a book, Patterns of Culture, in 1934. Think of the world at this time.  Colonialism was still going strong; Hitler was on the rise in Germany, along with so many other radicals in Europe. She wrote:  

“Modern existence has thrown many civilizations into close contact, and at the moment the overwhelming response to this situation is nationalism and racial snobbery. There has never been a time when civilization stood more in need of individuals who are genuinely culture-conscious, who can see objectively the socially conditioned behavior of other peoples without fear and recrimination. Contempt for the alien is not the only possible solution of our present contact of races and nationalities” (24). 

 I think it would be fair to say that snobbery and contempt are all-too familiar responses to those who are different than us, whether it be a different nationality or culture or sexual preference or religion or political affiliation or diet or hairstyle or recycling habits or….. well, you get the picture. 

Now, before you completely freak out thinking I'm telling you you need to become some hippie- free-loving person or some suit-wearing-money-loving person.... that is not what I'm saying. You do not need to become in order to understand.  You simply have to listen with an open heart and an open mind.  Be willing to RESPECT, to HUMANIZE, to EMPATHIZE with those different from you and maybe, just maybe allow yourself to WALK a mile in their shoes. You might be surprised what you find.

So this year, please, let us be willing to let go of prejudice, stereotypes, preconceived notions and yes, even be willing to admit when you are wrong. The outcome is worth it, I promise. Trust me, I'm an Anthropology Major. 

FINALLY!

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! CORRINE FINALLY GETS A JOB!!

Finally. It feels like an elephant has been on my shoulders the past few months and he's finally gone.  He was getting a little heavy to carry around. Enough about the elephant.... aren't you dying to know what I'm going to be doing? I'll tell you.

I will be a "para-educator" (fancy term for "teacher's aide") at Sharon Elementary School in Orem, UT.  I'll be mostly working with the special ed kids.  It is really cool.  The school believes that those with learning problems-- either due to autism or other issues-- should still be in the regular classroom as much as possible.  Something about being surrounded by what they should be learning helps..... I don't know Education Psychology.  Anyways, so I'll basically be shuffled around different classes throughout the day helping the kids that need help.  I'll be working with 1st through 6th grade. Isn't that cool?

There's only one small problem: I have NO idea what I'm doing... or even what I'm getting myself into.  Elementary kids? Teaching them? WHAT?!?! I'm all for playing "monster" and chasing them around the room but I'm pretty sure the teacher wouldn't be too happy about that....... I mean, hello! I was the babysitter who let the kids watch TV (even when the parentals specifically told me not to let them) and stay up till right before the parentals came home. I'm the one who plays with the kids cause I still think I am one.

Well, it'll be an adventure for sure.  It's interesting because this is not what I thought I would be doing but for some reason I'm really really really excited about it.  Perhaps the excitement is because it is something new, something else for me to learn; perhaps it is due to the simple fact that it is a job and I so badly needed one.... but regardless of the reason, I decided to not OVERANALYZE it, not REJECT it simply because it doesn't fit into my "what would look best on your resume for working in Africa" mindset, and just let it be.

Wish me luck.... or maybe, wish the kids luck? They probably need it more than I do.


ps.  The best way to celebrate is really to have a one-song dance party with the Gma... which is of course what I did.

Attitude of Gratitude

This is probably the LEAST amount of words I've ever written in a blog post.  Somehow it doesn't seem enough-- enough to adequately express the gratitude I feel for every single person in my life.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words though so one picture will have to do-- one picture to tell a story of the countless others who have inspired me, strengthened me, entertained me, pushed me, taught me, and most importantly loved me. For those who have been a part of my life this year, I thank you. 

You remind me that we are more alike than we are different. 

   You make me feel alive.

You encourage me to hope for a better world.  

 You give me someone to look up to.

  You believe in the power of my dreams.

You are still here.

You show me that angels truly do come in human form.         

   You inspire me to be the best I can be. 

You teach me what it means to be a mother.  

                                                       You give me the gift of your friendship.

               

 You walk with me in the rain. 

Corrine is voting for..............

My days have become an endless slew of reading newspaper articles; researching statistics aka running my own fact checks; getting lessons from my father on how taxes work, etc; watching debates; and having discussions with co-workers.  It has been a thrill.  It is really something when you can watch yourself grow into your own opinions.  That is how I'm feeling these days.... like I'm starting to get it.  Now, I'm FAR from knowing everything but thanks to my anthropology background, I am constantly paranoid about being biased so that keeps me fact-checking like crazy.  Ergo, I'm feeling somewhat confident that what I know- and what I think- is a pretty educated, well rounded opinion.

Now, I have wanted to share my thoughts about this upcoming election so many times but we all know what happens when you post that stuff on Facebook.  I still want to share them though so here they are. I want people to know my reasonings for voting for Obama. As an anthropologist, I understand that things are rarely as they seem on the surface and I want people to know what's going on underneath my surface... okay that was a little weird.... Sorry.  To make up for it, here's a random picture of a woman voting.

So without further ado....... here it is.... Corrine's TWO major philosophies/ theories/ ramblings/ whatever-you-want-to-call-them about politics and ultimately the reasons why she will be checking that ballot box next to Obama's name. (We all know politics is all about how you see the world and that you vote for the one who sees the world the same way you do!)  

View Number One-- The difference between Republicans and Democrats really boils down to one issue:: the role of government.  And I think the stereotypical 1950's family displays the two ideologies perfectly.

Republicans view the government as the authoritative father.  He's mostly hands off on the day to day stuff because he thinks too much regulation would stifle the growth of his children, or maybe he doesn't want to bother with them at all (esp the weak ones). However, that doesn't stop the dad from not laying down the law, by force if necessary, when it comes to who his daughter dates (no matter what she thinks or wants) because it is only his opinion that matters.     

The Democrats on the other hand view the government more as the protective mother. Her entire purpose of living is to take care of her children, making sure they all have what they want/need. AND she always makes sure that none of them feel excluded-- she doesn't pick favorites. Granted, she might try to squeeze them a little too tight, or give them an embarrassing kiss when she drops them off for school.  

Now, I'm not a registered Democrat but to say I'm left-leaning would not be wholly inaccurate.  (I have commitment issues so labeling myself as anything tends to make me feel a bit claustrophobic).  I think the government's role is to take care of it's people.  I have spent the last five years of my life studying the countries of the world. I have seen what happens when a government does not take care of its people. I have seen what happens when a government is not capable of taking care of its people as well. It is not good; in fact, it is awful. Hopeless even.

I recently returned from a summer in Uganda with a renewed gratitude for my country.  We have the poor, the needy, the homeless just like Uganda but there is one difference-- our government works.  Our government CAN help its people. WHY ON EARTH WOULD WE THROW THAT GIFT AWAY?!?!?! Why on earth would be say "I don't want this.... in fact, I'm going to change the government around so that it cannot help its people".  Call me a socialist, I don't care (actually don't.... commitment issues remember?) but I think it is the government's duty, nay it's obligation to be as selfless as a mother in helping her children survive in this world.  Some of her children might take more care than others-- she will give them that extra care.


View Number Two-- Because of my studies in international development, foreign policy is something very important to me.  One of THE MOST IMPORTANT aspects of understanding foreign policy is understanding the dynamics of the world we live in.  This post- 9/11 world is different than the one we learn about in the history books.  It seems after every major event, our world shifts dynamics.  After WW2, the dynamics shifted in America's favor.  We became the hero of the world; we became the big brother/watchdog/whatever-you-want-to-call-us.  In the 50+ years since that war, a lot of things have changed but for some reason, our American mentality has not.  We still see ourselves as top dogs and think that if we aren't the only one at number one, then we are last.  In my opinion, we are clinging on to the past instead of trying to find our place in this new beautiful world that is emerging.

I thought of a "great" analogy.  Look at England for a second.  For hundreds of years, the Kings and Queens ruled England.  They had absolute power.  They made the rules, etc.  Then, for reasons I'm too lazy to research for one blog post, things shifted.  They created a parliament who now holds the power.  They kept the Royal Family because it was an essential part of their culture.  More importantly, they kept the Royal Family because they still respected them; cherished their opinions.  I don't think anyone would argue that Queen Elizabeth has no influence in the world today; in fact, her light still shines very brightly.

I think the world is a like England. For centuries there has been one country to rule them all-- Rome, England and then America (and yes, I realize I made HUGE jumps in history).  But we are moving into a world where there is a parliament instead of an absolute rule.  We have BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) who are the up and coming stars in the world's economy.  We have UN Millennium Goals striving to get the entire globe out of poverty.  Just because America might no longer have absolute power does not mean we have lost our influence. It does not mean we cannot fight for freedom and democracy.  It does not mean that our light needs to shine any less or that the countries of the world will no longer look to us for advice.

It DOES however mean that we have to change our mentality.  If we don't, we will lose the respect of many.  If we don't, we will lose our place in the future world.  And I for one think that would be a great loss to mankind. America has too much to offer this world and its people to lose our place because we were whining about not being first anymore.


In closing, I don't agree with 100% of Obama's policies. Nor do I think he has done an A+ job in his first term but he has done enough for me to say "give him four more years!".  Nor do these two philosophies even being to cover all the reasons why I'm choosing him over Mitt Romney but like I said, it ultimately comes down to who is looking through the same rose-colored glasses are you.  And Obama and I, we share the same glasses.  He is a man that sees the world the same way I do-- a world reinventing itself again. And he is a man that sees this country the way I do-- a country that must act according to the blessings we have been given. And that is why I'm voting for him.