So life has its ups and downs, yes? But what truly amazes me are the connections you make with people. The small parts of life are what spirals me into a certain stream of thought. What the hell am I saying, everything gets me thinking!

Looking through the college social site facebook, I was browsing through pictures of friends of mine. Some of these friends go back to middle school in Georgia; some even go back to my early days of elementary school in Colorado. Surprisingly, I am friends on the facebook with the very people who made my life a living hell when I started college at SGC.

These guys who taunted me, called me names, wrote things on my door, and destroyed some of my property are now my friends on facebook. I look through their pictures hoping for some kind of indication that they are different people than what I remember. We all had just started college and were scared—well I know I was. I was looking to fit in and they were looking to fit in with each other. I mean really, putting the gay black kid as the RA on a floor with baseball players from South Georgia was a crazy decision! But you know what, I am glad it happened. It taught me how to deal with people and effectively deal with problems. Instead of abusing my power and writing the guys up as an RA or coming up with some half baked scheme to get revenge, I spoke out against homophobia in the newspaper, I started a Gay-Straight Alliance at the school. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that in life, we should never fight fire with fire. Simple, over used term, but very true. If I had done something to seek revenge or cause harm against those guys, what would they have done? Fight back with me and enter into a vicious cycle of hatred. Instead, there is a thriving Gay-Straight Alliance at SGC and for the second year in a row; a relatively open homosexual has won the popularity reward at the school. I think that's such a powerful thought. Using positive to fight the negative. It's a lesson I've heard for years from my Grandmother and other's, but I never really sat down and thought about it. A good friend of mine used a quote on his blog that has stuck with me for a while now. I believe it to be very true:

"Don't ever listen to those who tell you it can't be done. Pity them for their lack of vision; be more successful than anyone thought you could be. Then, look back on those who said it was impossible and remember: always be Recklessly Optimistic."