Peace

well, once again, Liz and my dad are sleeping and am sitting outside typing away. a breeze is blowing my sun-kissed hair (yes, it's getting blonder by the hour) and i love inhaling the smell of the sea. i finally am starting to see a real glow to my skin which makes me pretty happy. we were on the beach today for 3-4 hours (on and off) and it was wonderful, except for the sweating and sand in my swimsuit. i could have done without that. Liz was tanning while i decided to go for a swim. since it was just me (my dad went back to the hotel), i decided to observe those around me. i saw mothers and fathers teaching their little ones to swim with floaties on, i saw two young boys playing water volleyball, i saw women in bikinis and men in speedos thinking they were big stuff, i saw young couples displaying public displays of affection, and i saw several people just lying there reading or listening to music. those images got me thinking: what is peace? i am lounging in one of the most beautiful places on planet earth listening to soothing music and enjoying the sunshine. time stands still here. there's no need to be at a certain place at a certain time doing a certain thing. Athens will, of course, be different once school begins. for those who truly know me, i am such a routine/schedule person. although i may complain about being too busy or how the workload is difficult, i actually LOVE knowing what i will be doing next. i don't get that feeling here. maybe this vacation is a good thing; i'm learning how to take it easy and just relax. am i at peace when i know what to expect next, or am i at peace when i can just chill out and let time go by slowly? i've come to a conclusion about something: peace is being comfortable in your own skin; peace is loving you for who you are; peace is not having to prove anything to anybody; peace is having God in you. when you have God in you, you are comfortable in your own skin, you love yourself because you love God, and you don't have to prove anything to God-He already accepts and loves you. are those people lounging on the beach looking all "cool" happy in their own skin? do the couples showing PDA have peace within themselves or are they actually insecure? anyway, i just needed to get that out. wait, one more thing. i miss lvc.a lot. i miss home and family.a lot. i miss Conrad.a lot. i love lvc, home and family, and Conrad.a lot. see you all in 3 months<3