The Beginning...

So I suppose the beginnings of this Blog occurred while I was on my mission in Italy. Every week I had the opportunity to write to my family and tell them about the wonderful and exciting things that I was doing in my new "home". I grew to enjoy filling my emails and letters with intricate details and neat facts of the comings and going of my daily regime. And it never ceased to amaze me how by the time I was about ready to click the send button or put on the last stamp on the envelope, a detailed and interesting full-length story (sometimes a thriller other times a comedy or even an occasional tragedy) had somehow snuck its way onto my page. My letters and emails soon grew in popularity and before I knew it, my humble following of "faithful family member-readers" had become a hoard of eager readers that ranged from family members to friends and even some people that I had never even met before in my life, who all tuned in to see where their "fear-less friend/hero" had turned up this week and what sort of mess he had gotten himself into this time.

It was quite the interesting experience for me, as I would sit down at my screen each week and try not to disappoint my new "fans" with the mundane and boring. And even though my life wasn't always full of nail-biting drama or lotto-winning-moments, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed searching for the positives, the "silver-linings", and the small miracles that would fill my emails with "good news"...or at least interesting reading material. (Because nobody likes to read bad news or uninteresting garbage).

So I suppose that having to write for an audience taught me to look at things in a new light and with positive outlook. Always trying to see the glass half-full instead of half empty. And that was a wonderful lesson to learn in such an unexpected way.

Upon returning from my missionary service in Italy, I was casually chatting with one of my wonderful Aunts, who had followed my missionary adventures and mishaps from the very beginning. She said, "You know I miss hearing your funny stories and lessons learned etc... You know you should really start a Blog." It may have been in jest but it really made me think how great it was to be able to look back on such a long period time (2 years) and see just what wonderful things I had done and learned. And so here is for my Aunt and anyone else who may or may not be interested in the daily adventures and mishaps of a silly college boy trying to find his way on the wonderful "stage" we live on called LIFE! Enjoy...