Share and Try Not to Care...Too Much

          I adore the Fault in Our Stars, just to prove it you can read this   http://libbycrawford4.blogspot.com/2014/06/i-cant-find-single-fault-in-fault-in.html              A huge part of that film is one of the character's internal struggles which is the idea of being remembered after he passes away. He wants to leave his mark on the world, knowing his existence meant something. It's not an unusual desire for young people, but just as the character's love interest urges him to understand, maybe it's not a necessary desire.           I love dreamers. I am a dreamer. I do believe one person can make a difference in the world because there's hefty proof of it. I also believe though, that people overestimate what a "difference" actually is. Changing society, acting as president, transforming a music genre, they're all honorable accomplishments that are well worth noting. However, it's hard to reach out to thousands of people as a musician ca

     When I was younger being cool was always my aim; my version of cool that is. Currently I don't see a need to be cool, but I do try a lot of the time to be composed. Let's face it, I've never been very good at that either.       I grew up with social anxiety so even the shortest of conversations were torture to me. Thankfully, I really enjoy talking to people now and small talk doesn't scare me in the slightest. Well, that's partially a lie. Small talk with people I don't find intimidating is easy. Discussing myself, the weather, plans for the weekend, my education, and/or the rest of my life with old people, boys, teachers, or anyone I feel wouldn't hesitate to judge me, yeah that's a little cringe-worthy. For some reason when I'm put into those situation my mind goes blank so I appear to be an idiotic fumbling mess. Who wouldn't want to come across as such?       I can't express how many times I've deserved a face palm for my lac

      We've all heard that famous quote "Home is where the heart is." It was one of the few overused quotes that I could actually stand because I understood its worth. I really didn't though, until now.        I don't travel much and even when I'm in my own town, I'm a total homebody. It's where I feel most comfortable and contains so much of who I am that I feel no reason to stay away from it for too long. But then I got to thinking of how easily I've latched onto the people and places I've been lucky enough to be introduced to the past few years. In those experiences, I didn't have any hankering to get back home. I missed my family, but that was usually the extent of it. That's when I realized my definition of what home is changed completely.       I don't get homesick, I get family sick. Everyone says it, but I truly feel that being born into my family was the greatest gift God could ever give me. My parents are the most su

   I promised myself I wasn't going to do another blog post about camp because it was painful enough writing the first one  -->  http://libbycrawford4.blogspot.com/2013/07/my-time-at-mcnally_3.html I heard "Not About Angels" in The Fault In Our Stars and thought it was gorgeous. It wasn't until I got back from camp and was on a run when it came up on my shuffle. Not really an energizing song, but I liked it enough that I let it play. I almost broke down crying but forced myself to hold it in because no one wants to see someone who's getting exercise cry. It's just awkward and sends a message that physical activity is emotionally distressing (which it almost always is in my case) OK Libby, back to the song! It just made my heart hurt in a way that I had to share.    My blog about McNally Smith's Summer Workshop last year sums up a lot of the same feelings that came with this year's experience. In ways they were pretty similar, but at the same time

     It's not like I didn't know it was coming, but that doesn't mean I didn't try to push it and all the overwhelming thoughts that accompany it, away. The "it" I'm referring to is college.     As a little girl, OK even as a 17 year old, I run on a schedule. Lists, itineraries, and go-plans are some of my favorite things. They keep me prepared and aware of what's to come, and as someone who suffers from acute anxiety of the unknown, they're a welcome comfort. I can't pinpoint exactly why "going with the flow" scares me so much, but surely I've done it before. In fact, the majority of life's events do not run on a schedule and you can get used to a routine, but there's no guarantee it'll stay that way.While yes that's terrifying to me, I'll admit some of my best memories are from unexpected occurrences. You know if someone could grant me a wish to see the future, I'd probably take it in a heartbeat, but ul

    Ok, I'm sure most of you are tired of hearing about the love story riddled with cancer that youngsters keep tearfully raving about, but tired is certainly not the first emotion that comes to mind when I think of "The Fault In Our Stars."       I did indeed read the book before attending the movie (which I highly recommend) and I do intend on re-reading it because I find this story incredibly captivating and after reading the book once, seeing the movie twice, and watching numerous YouTube cast interviews, I find myself doused in a renewed adoration for all the lessons "The Fault In Our Stars" teaches.      First of all, the hopeless romantic in me (that I sometimes desperately wish I wasn't) is a sucker for any actors that can simply look at one another and emit a spark. Shailene Woodley (Hazel) and Ansel Elgort (Agustus) meet each other's gaze and lemme tell you, call the fire department because the fireworks these two create could burn an entire

    It’s normal to look back on your experiences, especially when a new year comes around. Usually I look back at these memories with fondness and gratitude, but something about this year was different. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still very thankful for the multitude of blessings that surrounded me in 2013, but when I took my trip down memory lane as the time kept ticking towards 12am, things just felt rather unsettling to me.      I did a lot this past year and got put into many situations where I was kind of forced to meet new people and branch out of my comfort zone. While that certainly wasn’t easy for someone who is rather quiet and introverted like me, I couldn’t be happier that I ended up in those circumstances. I had the privilege of meeting people that I genuinely enjoyed. Even though I keep to myself more often than not,   I’d still say that I’m very people-oriented and have a lot of positive things to say about those who I’ve been close to for some time and even those wh