Day 16: As odd as it may sound, being put into new situations

and starting from scratch is something of sport to me.

I welcome the challenge to start with nothing and end with results.

         I used to think that I knew everyone when I was little. Everyone. Everywhere my parents took me, I knew names and faces, and at the time I assumed that was all there was. I forgot about this for awhile, until I was an adult and it dawned on me that I was simply in many of the same places with the same people. It makes sense that everyone seemed so familiar because there was no variation to be had. At the age of 6, the places that I was frequenting were school, church, play dates, and family gatherings; many of which had the same crowd... so, as to be expected, I took this to mean that I knew every existing person on the planet. These familiar faces represented connections and positive feelings. 

          And a word about that: I have been developing something of a theory on what determines the way we perceive beauty and attractiveness. I feel that many of us would say that the people closest to us in our lives and those we see frequently (significant others, friends, family, etc.) are beautiful; I do, at least. My theory is this: a familiar face is a catalyst for positive feelings, and therefore these positive feelings are the cause for believing these people to evoke physical beauty. This isn't to say that they are not in fact pretty or handsome (or in contrast, that strangers appear 'ugly' upon first meeting), but rather that the frequent basis on which we see someone convinces us more-so that they are visually, and intrinsically, 'good'. In this way, attractiveness correlates to a ratio of closeness and frequency. I could be entirely wrong, as I have no scientific evidence of this, but I really do believe it based on my own experiences. (Tangent alert. Back to the topic at hand.)  

         It wasn't until halfway through high school that I began to seriously branch out and try new situations where I didn't know a soul. Extracurricular milestones such as Badger Girls State and Leadership Camp were my practice for secondary education and the professional world. The people I have met, the friendships I have found, and the connections I have made along the way are irreplaceable and were a necessary step to get me where I am today. It comes down to this: I want to learn as much as I can from others, no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they believe. If we forever stay glued to what we know (the people we know) and have no desire to expand this circle, we run the risk of never knowing what someone else out there may be able to teach us. 

 Things are what you make of them.