The train ticket is booked. Suitcases that claim they are big enough to fit my life in their tummies have come tumbling down from the attic. I am moving to New York City in 25 days. A little less than a month.
The original Pearls of Wisdom came right before my college graduation, three months ago: a compilation of wisdom that I found strewn throughout my four years at Assumption. This second strand of pearls is in dedication to the woman who made me both a seamstress of stories and a searcher of the soul. Every single day I gather these pearls and more from an individual whose heart, in comparing sizes, makes New York City just a speck on the map.
love you mom
Stay a lover of little things.
No matter what big cities you go off to and big opportunities you are graced with, always take time to acknowledge the little things.
Never give up on the things that make you smile because smiling is one of the most important things we can do in this world.
Find time to just wander. With No Direction. No Plan. No Time Restrictions.
Look for beauty every where that you go. In the ladybugs on the window sill. The sunflowers in the backyard. The sky scrapers in a new city. The faces of strangers and family alike.
Form family in every place. Form family by reaching out a hand to people who need to hold one, calling someone to brighten their day, giving up your time for others with no exasperation of ever needing to have those minutes repaid.
Leap. Leap High. Leap Far. Leap when you see the landing point. Leap when you see nothing but darkness.
Find God in the nooks of this world. Find God Everywhere Around You. Help Others Find Him Too. Because others are looking, and some don’t even know it.
It’s worth repetition: Stay a lover of little things. Spider Webs. Children Laughing. Band Aids. Light Weight Sneakers. Coins. Cheetos.
Refuse to keep your feelings bottled up: cry, scream, yell, stomp your feet, spit. Do whatever it takes to feel outside of your own mind.
Go to concerts. Dance on stage. Be the best damn tambourine player you can be. Have a crush on the lead singer.
Be unafraid of your heart: Whatever & Whoever makes it beat. You could keep it sheltered forever if you please but hearts become more versatile the more we use them. Better that we risk them breaking through good use rather than breaking them from never using them at all.
Wake up every day with the intention of painting something beautiful. Some days you won’t feel like you have all the right colors. These days, borrow colors from others.
Carry a kazoo wherever you go. You will continually stumble across people who are having a birthday and are in need of a good song.
Aspire to be something wonderful. Something Remarkable. Every single day.
Don’t pay too much attention to all the hubbub about ultra violet rays. The sun is far too glorious to not let it kiss your face and plant freckles on your shoulders sometimes.
Drop everything. Absolutely everything. For a good friend in need.
Nothing in this world stops you from being an artist, a dancer, the best writer this world has ever seen. If anyone stops you… it is only yourself.
Counting Blessings. Don’t count calories too crazily. Count Kisses (especially the forehead ones). Never ever worry about counting friends. Don’t count money before you have it.
Ask outlandish questions.
You can tell a lot about a person by asking the question, “If you had one night to be any performer on stage, who would it be?”
Be good to people but don’t give them everything or every part of you. Especially if there is evidence that they may tamper with your heart.
Take long walks on the beach.
Walk sometimes instead of drive.
One last thing on walking, take time every day to walk outside of yourself. You will quickly find that the world does not revolve around you and sorry to say, it never did.
And remember: Stay a lover of little things no matter how big your dreams may be. Stamps. Sonnets. Hot Chocolate. Desert. Songs that read your soul. Tears of Joy. Tears, in general.
Home is not so much a noun as it is a cross-breed between an adjective and a verb. Be home to someone. Hold close to those who feel like home.
Add something sequined,silver or red to any outfit you wear out for a night. A silver bangle never fails and patent red pumps are unstoppable at any age.
Write poems. Without Rhyming or Worry about Iambic Pentameter. Without judging them. Just write poems because they are groovy and we are all poets.
Make pet names with every letter of the alphabet. Leave no B, G, or E unused.
Start the morning quietly. When you step outside or get stuck in your dose of morning traffic you will have wished you had that solitude.
Make your efforts big but remain little. No one likes a big head.
When you feel a pulling in your heart or a weight on your chest don’t push off the feeling. Let it flood you, push you around, challenge you. Under pressure diamonds are made. Welcome Darkness and Welcome Change.
Never stop asking yourself, “What do I want to be when I grow up?”
Not everyone in life is going to care about you, your favorite breakfast foods or your pet peeves. Don’t even try to make them. Just appreciate those who come into your life and do care.
Have coffee or tea in the morning. Or just something warm. Feel the warmth on your hands. Let it spread to your soul.
Be mindful of bikinis that are too small and tops that are too low cut. No one buys cows when they get the milk for free. And its better to be classy. Always better to be classy.
Don’t expect the world to understand all that you attempt to do. Your dreams will only fly if you first give them wings. And another thing, let the world think you are crazy. Crazy is Good.
And never forget: Stay a lover of little things, above all else. Prayers. Pearls. Compliments. Movie Nights. Letters from Home…. Home.
And those who believed in you first.
Yet another amazingly inspiring post, Hannah Katy!
Thank you! Happy you like it love.
Such a wonderful reminder. Thanks for the Wednesday inspiration today. I needed it
Anytime love.
Hey Hannah,
Can’t believe I’m an early commenter! Lovely post in every way. Each one of these pearls has its own deep wisdom. “Seamstress of stories.” Yes, you are!
You made me remember some advice a woman gave me a long time ago: always take the classy route. Walk out the door with your head held high.
I’m going to answer this one since I’m a karaoke princess. (Karaoke changed my life. I can’t say enough good things about it.)
“You can tell a lot about a person by asking the question, “If you had one night to be any performer on stage, who would it be?”
I’d be Judy Garland singing Over the Rainbow. That song tugs at my heart every time. I had to practice it for months before I could sing it at a karaoke night without crying. No one can sing it quite like Judy …
“Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true.:
The problem? Most folks have forgotten how to dare, something that came so naturally to us as children.
Enjoy life! Giulietta
Could you just be my mentor? That would be great. I always adore the advice you pack into your comments. And Judy is a stunning choice, she is one of my favorites as well. I am a hardcore Oz fan.. And I like that advice, always be classy.. It is so important.
And I’m an early bird, too! Usually I’m down at the bottom. “Never forget those who believed in you first.” I loved that, and the photo of you and your mom. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures in NYC.
Thank you! I cannot wait to tell all of them… Such an adventure up ahead.
Hands down, my favorite blog post of yours so far. You have a way of turning words into such pure inspiration. Everyone should print this out as a reminder of the best way to live.
Best of luck to you in NYC … I know you’ll take it by storm!
Thank you so much! Oh my goodness, your comment has made my morning. I will just be so happy to be there and not have to leave 2 days later, ya know?
Well, your post did the same for me when I read it, so glad I could return the favor
And yes, I DO know! It’s not to the same extent, of course, but I spent almost a week in NYC earlier in the summer, and it was so nice not to go home after just a day or two. That city has a vibe like no other!
Remember all of this when you move to New York.
Putting it in my back pocket right now ha.
Love this! And so excited for you! Less than a month!
I cannot believe it! Thank you lady.
This was beautiful! It’s being saved as a favorite, because I can’t stand the thought of never reading it again.
You are wonderful. Simply wonderful.
One more incredible post full of beautiful things I think everyone should read and take note of
So very excited for your new chapter!!
Thank you Emily. I am so excited too! So soon!
Great post!!! I’m moving to NYC in a few weeks as well! We should grab a cup of coffee!
Absolutely! I would love that.
This is such a fantastic post! I think I want to print it out and stick it on my wall!
I’ve just come to your blog for the first time from 20SB and I couldnt’ have come on a better day…love it! Good luck with your move!
Glad you like it! Ah, so good that you are printing it out. That means so much to me. And thanks for the luck.. getting excited.
A brilliant reminder.
I would be Freddie Mercury. Watching him gives me the chills, I imagine being him would be even better.
Good one… I like it. I am always teetering on who I would be.. Never really could decide.
Such wonderful yet simple advice… thank you!
Thank you, I always love the simple little life lessons that can be carried throughout the day.. My favorite kind of post to write definitely.
Crazy IS good!
Good Luck!
Thank you!
I hope that you love nyc. It’s an amazing city with such intense energy and passion. It’s been nice to go back for a visit while I’m home on holiday from Cambodia.
Thank you. I am looking forward to living there instead of just visiting for a day or two.
Best,
Hannah Katy
Let me know if you need advice/info/etc on your move
I miss the city so much!
xo
Thank you so much. More than likely I will some kind of question soon! I am so excited to experience city life.. How is Egypt?! Hope all is well.
Best,
Hannah Katy
Beautifully written! It’s always kind of scary having to fit your ENTIRE life into suitcases. I did it when my family moved from the Philippines to the US… We were limited to 2 luggages to check in per person and a carry on. My life in THREE bags was a scary thing to see. I still miss a bunch of the stuff I had to leave behind but because I’ve learned to become adaptable and take notice and learn to love little things wherever I go, life is just so much better
For instance, I don’t have my prized Barbie from when I was a kid anymore but sometimes I go to the park here in Seattle and watch little girls playing with their dolls (in the least creepy manner possible. Haha) with the cutest looks of concentration on their faces and that little moment reminds me of my childhood and makes me smile as if I’m holding on to my Barbie again.
Good luck on your move!
Ah I just adored your little story… Brought a huge smile to my face.. It is crazy to think about packing so light, for good. But I think it will be a learning experience of what to take and what to leave behind.. I have time to sort through it all.
Best,
Hannah Katy
Your writing is beautiful.
I think we all need a reminder to love the little things in life. We miss out on so much…
True, true. And thank you very much love.
Best,
Hannah Katy
So many great little tidbits and tips in there!
I’m so excited for you and this new amazing adventure you’re going to go on this month!
So scary that it is this month!! Ahhhh Parts of me tug to stay but I know I have to get onto the next chapter. Ten times less scary with all of you to journey with me through this blog.
Best,
Hannah Katy
Oh, Hannah. Thank you for bringing tears to my eyes and feelings to my soul and gratitude to my heart and inspiration to my day. Seriously. This was soul-touching. In fact, I may like to feature this post on my blog for this week’s “Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom.” I think a lot of people are going to immediately fall in love with you once they read this post.
Lucy, you are too much. Thank you so much for one of the sweetest compliments to ever grace this blog. You never fail to make me water up with your kindness.. And I cannot wait to feature you on here so so so soon.
Best,
Hannah Katy
One more thing — I, too, love to feel the sun on my bare skin. A little bit of ultra violet light is more than likely OK. Just don’t fry yourself for hours. And don’t forget about vitamin D and the toxicity of sunscreen. Did you see my post about the dangers of sunscreen? It’s scary.
I could comment about why I love every pearl of wisdom and why every one is just so true, but then I would be here all night…
I must go read it! I have been so behind, spent the weekend on the Cape doing just what you prescribed. Feeling the sun on my skin and loving life. I am hopping over there later for sure.
Best,
Hannah Katy
New York, New York!! How exciting!! Cannot wait to read about the adventure.
Cannot wait to tell… Can I burst into a New York medley yet?
Best,
Hannah Katy
True words of wisdom…first time to your blog and loved this post!
So glad you came by! Hope you come back soon.
Best,
Hannah Katy
This is the kind of post that I would tuck away for a rainy day. I got a book a few months ago called “100 simple secrets of happy people”. This reminds me of that book.
I don’t know that I have read it.. will have to check it out for even more inspiration. Thanks love.
Best,
Hannah Katy
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love love love.
not to be a random creeper or anything…I found your blog on 20sb and have spent at least the last hour sitting at my desk reading. you write beautifully. I’m excited to continue reading and hear of all your wisdom and adventures in NY.
Ah, you are awesome. That comment made my day- so nice to read it upon returning from a mini vacation. Thank you for reading!
Best,
Hannah Katy
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Thank you so much! Absolutely honored by this.
What a wonderful post! I’m moving to NYC in a couple of months as well. While I’m going to miss the beach, I’m looking forward to exploring the city and learning about myself.
Maybe I will see ya around the big Apple? I will be the one who cannot walk in heels to save her life, should not be too hard to pick me from the crowd ha.
Best,
Hannah Katy
This was amazing and beautiful and I may, or may not, have cried reading it while sitting at my desk at work.
Hey, I really love this post. I got linked to it a while ago by a friend on twitter. I used it to make a video for a worship segment at a youth meeting. I intend to upload it on youtube (you are fully credited) I hope you don’t mind this. If you’re not happy with it I will take it down.
Becca.
Xx
That is so awesome! I would love to see it. Please let me know when it is up.
That’s it. There are a few bits lopped out and the sound quality’s not the best but I did it in about an hour and a half so. :/