Birthday Posts! #1

Hi Friends.

Let's cut to the chase, shall we?

My birthday is on Sunday. Yippee. 

I'll be the big 2-2.

(That's my extreme excitement--that's all you get!) 

So, 

instead of writing a super awkward post about myself, I have asked some of my favorite people and my favorite bloggers to write some posts for my birthday!! (Genius, I know). So over the past few days (or however long I feel like it. It's my blog. Lay off) I will be having some awesome notes regarding this blog and me well, ME!

As I have been talking to people, I have been brought to tears as I have read some of the sweetest comments, memories, and posts ever. So some of them may be getting their own spotlight. 

My life is crazy. It is wonderful, but crazy busy. I am so grateful for all of the friends and family in my life. Thank you, you sweet, overly generous people!  

This first person is my sweet friend, Sarah. I met her a few years ago in LDC, the choir I sang in for three years. She is one of the kindest, most genuine, beautiful singers I know. 

This is what she wrote:

Hello, friends! Here's a little something you should know about Miss Ainge. First off, today {Sunday} is her BIRTHDAY! And second, you will never meet another person like Sierra, which is one of the reasons why today is so special, because it's the day she got to start off her wonderful life. It's also the day that she started on the road that would lead her to meet each one of you, to touch your lives and lift your hearts, much like she has done for mine.

I met Sierra in the Latter-day Celebration Choir two years ago. She was a second year soprano, I a first year soprano. She was confident, I was not. She was sure of her notes, I was not. And she spoke to me first, when I was not brave enough to enter the circle of people she was with. Sierra took an interest in me and was aware of my well being. On sad days, she asked me what was wrong, and really wanted to know. On good days, she offered smiles and hugs that were sincere. Sierra loved me first -- she's good at loving people.

There have been many times when I have looked to Sierra as an example of how to deal with hard things -- she and I have similar struggles. Different, but similar in that we both experience times of heavy darkness. However, I have found that despite those adversities, Sierra pushes back at the darkness and allows her light to break through, reaching out to others despite the personal hardships she endures.

It's rare that you find someone as passionate or as strong as Sierra Ainge. When she wants something, she goes for it with all of her heart, mind, body, and soul. I have never known her to give up on anything that she has started, nor have I seen her quit when the going isn't easy. Her capacity to move forward despite opposition is quite incredible. That's one of the things I like best about Sierra -- she sticks with it. 

Not only is Sierra persistent in her friendships, academics, career goals, and family life, she is persistent in her spirituality. Like anyone else, Sierra has rough times. I've seen her face seemingly insurmountable odds, coming head to head with things few people experience. Yet, she never forgets what she believes. She never forgets where she comes from. She never forgets who is supporting her from behind the scenes. You see this clearly here, in her writing and her photographs. Sierra is, and I mean this in the best way possible, not the kind of person you get to know in one conversation. She is multidimensional, faceted, like a gem stone. You see the surface, and it's bright and shiny. You think you know what you're looking at, but as you peer closer, you see that inside that gem stone are layers of sparkling crystal -- the stone is not hollow, not flat, not simple. It's a complicated, but beautiful, work of nature. For some reason I picture Sierra as a purple-y pink stone. Not really sure why. But for me, it fits her. 

Get to know Sierra. You will learn from her, grow with her, and gain perspective by letting her into your life.

:)
xoxo,
Miss Ainge.