Author: Maddie

"All it takes is a beautiful fake smile to hide an injured soul and they will never notice how broken you really are," Robin Williams

It seems as though we are surrounded by negative news articles, only hear of injustice deaths, and have crime on every street corner. Life is looked at as half empty instead of half full. We have lost touch with our loved ones, and sometimes that is all it takes. 

Thoughts are negative. We are all different, yet somehow very similar. We need to have human interaction in life in order to feel like we are worth something. 

For no one to ask you how you are doing, no shoulder to cry on, or even wave to you as you pass, our minds become a mix of emotions. We start to give up on ourselves like we have felt others have done for us. Where do we go when we have no one?

I wouldn't know, but as unfortunate as life has become, busy lives, drifting apart from friends, and life's curve balls really make certain situations difficult for some to cope with. 

I couldn't imagine getting to the point in my life where I felt as though I had only one option left to go; that being my last, and only hope to ending all my sorrows. 

I have watched to many tragedies die out in front of me, I have participated in events to save lives that only end up making it long enough to see the amount of money we earned for them, and I have seen the looks on loved ones faces when they find out that one of their own has taken their life. 

I vow and promise to myself after recent hardships I have dealt with personally, to always stop and smell the roses, see the glass as half full, and be there for the ones I care about. 

This is my – our – only life to live; we were meant to live it fully, happily, and never give up. I am eternally sorry for those who were unable to view life with such positivity for themselves because they were shielded from it by the evils life bares; may each soul rest in peace and find their peace in wherever they believe they belong now. 

Here is to my new look on life; stop and smell the roses, be kind, and care. 

Adjust your positioning, apply the perfect amount of mascara, and pucker before any selfie can be taken. But wait, the struggle continues. Every girl knows it, but may just not want to admit how much work actually goes into taking the perfect selfie. 

1. Background must be perfectly clean and organized.

You don't want your hottie next door neighbor to see this selfie and think you're a slob so you quickly tidy up the small square space that will be holding your perfect selfie platform. Shove the shoes in your closet, the old candy wrappers in the garbage that's already overflowing, and you hide the rest with a pretty rug or blanket to make it look complete. 

2. Your make up is more done than it ever is when you actually have plans.

Most selfies aren't bare face anymore. Get out the bronzer for that "summer glow", shape those eyebrows, and pucker those lips for the perfect shade of pink. You want your selfie game to be strong enough that you look flawless in that IPhone camera. Make sure to cover those blemishes while you're at it. 

3. Find the perfect wall to pose by.

If the background is busy, they won't notice your beauty and that's the whole point behind your attempt at a selfie. Quickly take down the picture frame or put up your wall tapestry and there you go; a beautiful, clean background for your perfect selfie. 

4. Finding the perfect position for your face. 

Tilt to the left, tilt to the right, straight forward; so many angles to choose from. Some just don't go with that to, or maybe that's your straight hair go-to, but really your hair is wavy today so you go for a more of a left headed tilt chin up kind of thing. It's all about the angle which makes you look on point. 

5. Lots of phone space. 

One can not take just one selfie and call it good. Your phone needs to have an unlimited amount of room so you can find which angle, face, and pout works for your attitude and dress of the day. It really is a hassle to find the perfect selfie to upload to Instagram. 

6. All ends with your outfit. 

Sweats on the bottom and a hot blouse on the top. You're half way done up because you really just wanted to capture your stunning hair, make up and new shirt you just got at Target. The pants you are wearing will never be seen anyways so it's best not to take the time to change out of them just for a few selfies. 

All in all, you should take pride in that selfie because you accomplished a little bit of self help, cleaning, and even re-decorated your house just for 2 seconds-or more-behind the camera. As silly as it sounds, the struggle is real when finding and taking your perfect selfie. 

While laying on the floor of my bedroom at my parents house I noticed my childhood still hung on my wall. My floor now occupied my transition into adulthood. I had believed I was always ready for that next step, yet I never really saw it until my two worlds survived together in a small bedroom upstairs. 

Pictures of my exciting childhood were hanging by my door, art work from old friends I hadn't seen in years still hung in the same spots collecting dust, and I still had all the same throw blankets that hardly covered my toes anymore. At the same time, but floor consisted of brand new lingerie and old lipsticks I had yet to throw out. 

It was the beginning of an adulthood disaster. 

Mixing childhood toys with what I currently was playing with didn't seem to go well together. 

My two worlds were colliding; my college bedding was resting on my old pillow pet from sophomore year in high school, and my new bra I got at Pink was laying on top of my old smiley face sports bra I haven't fit in since middle school.

I hadn't thrown out my childhood, and now it was tugging me back in to where I felt like I was a kid again, yet at the same time I was headed into my self and my new life. 

It's a crazy sensation to grow up. Permission to do things went from begging your parents over and over until they said yes to whatever crazy idea it was, to now avoiding parties so you can snuggle your boyfriend on your couch. 

My toys were transformed from barbies to my boyfriends body. I longed for love instead of lemonade. Spiked was the new way to drink juice, love bites no longer came from my dog, and my underwear covered less than it ever had before. 

I was growing up after everything I had ever seen to never grow up.

Peter Pan taught me that growing up was a trap, but after all I have seen from my old bedroom floor was that, it wasn't growing up that was the trap, it was the in-between that got you; the sadness of leaving who you were but the thrill of becoming who you are. 

My childhood is left for my bedroom walls above my parents garage, but my life starts on the other side of freedom. 

Cheers to a new adventure; growing up. 

“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same,” Emily Bronte

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I remember what it was like when I first fell for you; it happened faster than anything I had ever experienced. You came in my life at a time I wasn’t sure I was ready for such an adventure, but you ended up being my favorite story to read. 

It was more than a fairytale coming true, because you were my Prince Charming that rode in in a white pick up truck rather than horse, but even better than a fairy tale because our story included some bumps. 

Our love was adventurous, just like our favorite hobbies together; it never failed to amaze me. We would continue straight on our path, randomly veering off into crooked, sharp corners landing on some jagged rocks that made our relationship chaotic. Yet, at the same time, our adventures never failed to put a smile on my face. 

You have become my most favorite adventure of my life. Yes, it hasn’t been long for me to consider you such a thing as my greatest adventure, but there is no one else I would rather call my best friend than you. 

At nights where you aren’t next to me, I long for you. I never could have imagined that my definition of home would be instilled upon a person rather than a place. My best memories are riding shot gun in your truck, my hand in yours, and our favorite place looking at us through the windshield. 

You are the best thing that I have ever called mine. 

And on this rocky adventure we call love, I am beyond thrilled that my soul has found a soul like yours. 

As cheesy as it sounds to say, you are the missing piece that my heart has searched for. 

I will never grow old of our adventure; you will always remain my favorite story to tell, to read, and continue learning about. You never bore me, you continue to surprise me, and you are the most exciting adventure I have ever taken. 

"Will you do the honor of being my bridesmaid?" 

YES! Let the adventure begin. 

Being a bridesmaid is such an honor because it means you are close enough with this girl to help make her big day memorable and go smoothly. You now star in your own version of "The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly". 

The Good

There is an obvious amount of more good involved with becoming a bridesmaid than there is bad, otherwise why would we voluntarily agree to such a thing? You have an excuse to party more than you normally would. Pop the top off that champagne and let's get to celebrating. 

On top of all the celebration, you get to have some plain fun because it's all fun and games until the bride-to-be becomes a Mrs! Bachelorette party shenanigans, crazy adventures with the bridal party and the bride herself, and even all the glamorous stops along the way picking up the dresses, spa days, and the final wedding day touches. 

You are surrounded by fun people, doing fun things, and all that's on your mind is celebration. You're partying every chance you've got for this special lady who's about to say "I do"! So party hard, drink that wine, and dance the night away. 

The Bad

Even though the good outweigh the bad, every good movie always has the characters thrown on a loop. 

Shopping, waiting, sitting. The process of finding the perfect wedding gown could lead to hours in the bridal store staring at thousands of dresses that are all starting to look the same. But, there is still no where else you would rather be than helping your bride find her perfect dress. 

Of course some arrangements fall through, not everyone can make it, and your precious bride can get a little cranky and become a small bridezilla, but that's where you come in; save the day, miss bridesmaid! Using your skills to the max to calm the nerves of an anxious bride. 

The Ugly

The ugly is inevitable. Weddings always call for the crazy relatives and soon to be in-laws budding heads over pointless things. Your job is to dispute the ugly before it becomes hideous. You avoid all conflict instead of letting the bride have to deal with her crazy family for the night of all nights. 

Your main part in this entire show. 

Weddings are crazy, beautiful, fun and romantic. Tears will be shed, laughs will be shared, and memories will be made. Being a bridesmaid seems like a small part that holds a huge role for the entire wedding to run smoothly for the bride and groom. 

Go party and be the best bridesmaid you can be! 

After the honeymoon phase fades out and the farts begin, you know your comfort level with your SO have officially reached the "bestie" stage. Meaning that nothing is kept secret, you're free to eat as much food as you want while sitting across from the other person, and your everyday conversations transform from "I love you sooo much baby!" to "Yo dummy I'm at Taco Bell what do you want for dinner?" 

Of course you still say "I love you" but nothing quite says I love you like "What do you want from Taco Bell?"

1. "You're gonna wear that today?!?!" (Jaw drops and eyes scan outfit)

You spin around a few more times in the mirror checking what you believed was the perfect outfit only to find out that your SO disapproves. Wait, nope. He's joking again-so funny he is. But you love him anyways.

We have over come the biggest obstacles that life has given us on our journey to this point of our relationship, yet I still can't go to bed without your sweet good night kisses. 

Even with the world around us, our friends and family, and even the occasional us, ever changing, I have always loved your constant love. I promise to do the same for you while we continue to date, and in our future marriage together. 

For as long as I've known you, it's always been an exciting, wonderful thrill ride with you, and I promise that I will never let a dullness over take our relationship. Our spontaneous camping trips will still be a must, our late night trips to Taco Bell will never end, and we will always have tickle fights on the living room floor, (even though I hate tickling, I love you).

I could never imagine loving someone more than I love you. I promise that will never change, even when we go through the worst times we ever thought possible, I will remain by your side fighting for you, not with you.

Your cuddles are my source of heat at night. Yeah, the endless supply of blankets on our bed provide warmth, but nothing compares to laying in your arms at night feeling safe, protected, and loved. If you promise to never stop cuddling me to sleep, I will promise to never stop cuddling you back. 

I love who you are, every piece of you. You're ditzy at times, but smart always. You know everything that I don't know, which makes up for the skills I lack in. You can fix everything I seem to damage, (my car, wink wink), and every light bulb I know you will always replace. 

Best of all, you're so funny and sweet – when you have eaten I might add – but I can always count on you to put a smile on my face. 

So I promise to never change you, I promise to let you be all that you are and more. I promise to encourage you in all your best strengths and even your weaknesses. I promise to never quit loving you when times get tough in our home, and I promise that I will always welcome you home with open arms and a kiss. 

You have always been my best friend, my other half, and my absolute love of my life, and I promise to love you conditionally for the rest of my life as my best friend, husband, and other half. 

You've reached that point in life where you're done with school, started life, and moved out of the room you spent the last few years in. A part of your life is left in that room. Your pictures may be packed with you, but the memories laughing with friends you may no longer have contact with, are left in the room forever. 

It's not as if you are sad by leaving this part of you behind in order to start your next chapter, but you feel like life is moving a lot faster than you are. Your feet are dragging in the dirt that life drags you in. 

Around you, people are bustling around trying to catch the latest deal, snatch the shoes off the rack before others get the chance, and scoring the best job on the block. Fortunately, you are participating in all that too, but half your mind is stuck on the bedroom you lived in when you were 16. 

It's life though, and unfortunately we do leave some things behind, our baby siblings grow up, and we move out of the only places we have ever known in order to start our newest adventure. 

It's scary, and half of the time we feel like we are completely alone; but we aren't. As alone as you may feel taking the next big step into adulthood, saying goodbye to your adolescent shenanigans,  and hanging up your overalls for a pantsuit, everyone does it at some point. 

Life is moving faster than you are, because it's ready to move on before you even discover you are ready to yourself. We can't let the fear of the unknown suffocate us before we even have the chance to see if it will really hurt us. 

It's no longer a baby-step, the step into life is a crazy ride. But it's one hell of a good time if you never stop believing in yourself. 

Life may be moving a million miles an hour, and pictures of your childhood may make you feel sad that it's over, but it's only beginning. 

Your true adventure starts where adulthood begins. 

Heart broken, devastated and sitting on the curb like last weeks trash when out of no where your newest Prince Charming steps off his horse and into your life.

The beginning of the rebound nightmare. 

I learned a lot from my rebound man, unfortunately for us, that's all he ever was to me.

1. One of us involved always ends up liking the other a little too much – and it wasn't me.

He was nice and everything, but he was only a rebound when it came to how I felt. He liked me a little to much just a little to fast. I was still healing from my last one, and I feel bad and everything, but hey, it's not like I didn't warn him before that I wasn't interested in more than just a small fling. 

2. Guys seem to get mad when we do to them what they do to us. 

My friends and I, as well as every other girl around, has suffered through her own share of heartaches from the modern f**k boys. Yet, it seems like when we do anything moderately close to the cruel things these poor excuses of men do, they hate us and call us "sluts". Road goes both ways, buddy.

3. Your heart is still attached to someone else – even if you don't feel like it is. 

The guy before Mr. Rebound may have left you in the dust, but your heart is still emotionally attached to his nasty ass. You can't let anyone in while part of you is still hooked on another guy. It's not possible, and even if you happened to let them both take up residency in your heart, you're the one who will get hurt – I learned that the hard way. 

4. Sometimes you want to play the field before taking base.

So you just got out of a long relationship and now you're ready to move on, but that doesn't necessarily have to be onto a new relationship. Sometimes playing the field and just testing the waters of the dating pool you have now entered is the safest, non-committed way to rebound. No strings attached kind of way, and you don't have to worry about the other 3 points. 

5. Mr. Rebound always comes before Mr. Right.

You will have to go through some guys before you find the right one, and you'll learn that just like I did. He may seem sweet, handsome, and funny when you first meet him, but come the second date he's creepy and kissing your hand at the movies like you've known him your whole life – don't be that creep. Mr. Right is right around the corner of Rebound Way and Reject Ave.

If you liked what you read, visit Maddie Kelly for more! 

"Don't forget to stop and smell the roses…" 

I've noticed that my fondest of memories were created when I wandered off track onto the road less traveled. Whether that be I stumbled and fell because I didn't take the road ahead of me, or I ended up finding a land that was far more beautiful than where I was originally headed. 

Wandering has brought me to be the best storyteller, biggest memory maker, and given me a wall full of pictures from crazy shenanigans that I may never have the chance to do again. 

I was nowhere near the road that neither myself nor my parents, had planned for me to take. I had made decisions that could have ultimately gotten me lost out at sea or fallen over the edge of The Grand Canyon, but also has given me the chance to laugh, love, and learn. 

I wander, but I am far from being lost. 

I get told that a smart girl would never stray from the safe sidewalk of life where all is right and known, but that step off the curb, the step into the unknown where anything is possible excites me more than any other force, being, word on this planet.

I have taken wrong turns and landed on some dark dead ends, I ignored all signs that pointed in directions that made more sense at the time, but following my own two feet led me into the path full of adventure, wilderness, and stories. 

I have never truly been lost before. Isn't lost just a term for not knowing where you are? I may not have known exactly where each path would take me, but that's okay because I knew that no matter which road I took, the less traveled dirt path, or the paved fast pace freeway, I would eventually reach an end. 

I wander but am certainly not lost. 

In fact, wandering has made me find myself more than I ever could have following the road packed with busy people in their busy lives. 

Always stop and smell the roses; just because you wander off doesn't mean you're lost, just means your stories will be all the better. 

If you like what you read, visit Maddie Kelly for more!