have you encouraged someone today?

Today was the last football game of the season. We won and it was an amazing game.

It has been a long 16 or so weeks. I have grown so much and learned so much about everything.

Today, Glory, the head athletic trainer, before the set up and everything, had us write notes to each other to just encourage each other. (It reminded me of the Mexico mission trips and those little papers that we wrote to the people around us.) He also bought us each candy to represent us. He got me sweetarts saying I have the sweetest personality. (I'm still wanting an explanation about the 'tart' part.)

Anyway we didn't get to read the notes till after the game. I'm now sitting at work and reading the notes from my peers and my supervisors and its just so interesting to read what they think about me. And what they are thankful for about. And I wonder how much is genuine and how much is just saying stuff. Like encouragement cards are really only genuine when the person who wrote it, was not asked to write it for the people. But we were all asked to write these notes and we only had a half hour and I tried to be genuine and I never like to lie about that stuff (So if I say something nice about you, I really mean it) but it was still forced. Even though I love these people and have been through so much with all of them.

And it makes me wonder how genuine are they being? Well after reading the notes, I hope they are being somewhat genuine because they said some awfully nice stuff.

And then another thought I have is that I hope I encourage the people around me enough. Friends who read this, I hope you know how much you mean to me. And if I don't tell you, then I'm going to start telling you. Somehow.

Here's the athletic training staff. From right to left: Christine, Mike, Glory, Liz, Brad, Me, Sarah and Amy. And that is the ATR where I spend most of my life. Well, not anymore. That is, not anymore until next semester. Wow, we are all a bit frazzled looking. Don't blame us. It was a long, cold night. But thankfully there were no injuries.

And my mom came to the game, which made me super excited. She got to meet everybody and see whatall her monetary support is doing.