All Posts By

Jacqueline

CourageNo Regrets
September 5, 2010

Undo Button

I recently located the "undo" button for my online checkers game, allowing me to instantly erase a move that cost me a king or a double jump. How nice would it be to have an "undo" button for life? How many times have we all said something we wish we could delete or acted in a way we've conveniently glossed…
Heart
July 14, 2010

Be You

The most courageous act you will ever commit is to simply be yourself. I rarely speak in absolutes, I can confidently say it takes sheer courage to be all of who we are. While living in China, one of the most prominent cultural differences I noticed was the idea of sacrifice and duty to one's family, culture, and society. Of…
Life changing moments
May 13, 2010

6 Months: Fresh Start

6 months ago, I started this blog to change my perspective. I wrote each post for me and hoped that someone else might read it or even better, gleam something from my observations and carry it into their daily life. It has been an incredible journey, and I thank each and every one of you for joining me. What I've…
Gratitude
May 5, 2010

Day 175: One Week

5 months and 3 weeks ago, I began an experiment in living. It has transformed every part of my life. As I go into this last week, I can't help but think of how I want to spend my time and how much has transpired in half a year. Who I am today and much of my life is drastically…
Acceptance
April 11, 2010

Day 151: Facing Mirrors

When I returned from my first year in China, I avoided mirrors. If I caught a glimpse of myself while washing my hands in a public bathroom, I would shake my head, look down, and walk out. It wasn't until a member of my family said, "Oh my god, what happened to your face?" did I begin to acknowledge the…
Creativity
March 14, 2010

Day 123: Sights Unseen

Helen Keller came up in conversation the other day. It led my friend and I into a discussion about which was more difficult: to be blind or deaf. If given the choice, my friend said he'd prefer to be deaf. Logically, this makes sense. We live in such a sight-dominated world, but a life without music? Without voices? Birds? The…
Questions that Count
February 14, 2010

Day 95: Puzzle Pieces

I spoke with a friend the other day, and she said something quite poignant: "I've been so concerned about the missing puzzle piece in my life, that I forgot to pay attention to whether it fit or not." How often do we settle? Whether it's career, relationships, a house, a car, a school, or even a vacation, how often do…
AdventuresNew Experiences
February 6, 2010

Day 87: Adventures of Jax + Sparks

I feel like a grown-up superhero with my canine sidekick, Sparky, a black lab/chow mix. Sparks' 'mom' is currently in Thailand, so I'm pup-sitting until she returns. We've already had our set of adventures, including trying to bathe an unwilling 65 lb dog in the bathtub, chasing squirrels in Buena Vista Park, and occasionally waking up with a wet nose…
Photo by Karen Boone
Gratitude
January 25, 2010

Day 75: Simple Joys

Some of the sweetest moments in life are the simplest. At the start of another week (2 months and 2 weeks into the experiment), it seems fitting to write 22 of what I consider to be life's simple joys. 1. A stranger's smile 2. Songs that are too beautiful to contain words 3. Climbing trees 4. The feeling after finishing…
PerspectiveWhy wait?
January 18, 2010

Day 68: Trees of Life

Even though I have only been in San Francisco two weeks, I've already visited Muir Woods twice. Cathedral Grove The trees are hundreds of years old and the section of the park named "Cathedral Grove" is aptly named. There I stood, dwarfed by trees in all directions, humbled by their lifespans and all they had seen. How many people have…

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6 Months to Live: The Experiment Continues