19.

Sometimes I have wondered how bad things must get in order for a situation to be considered the "worst possible situation." Putting any amount of thought into it tells me that it's completely relative, but - even so - how much can a person handle before he reaches that critical point where he can take no more? I hit my low point just over two years ago, but I was able to get out. I wasn't the cause of my bad times though. So it's also important to consider whether or not a person brings himself to his own low point or if he is brought to that point by circumstances he can't control. In either case, I think a person must act to get out. Even if it's hard or seems impossible, there's always some way to squeeze free. This escape may be hard to recognize and may not even be present at first, but it is never okay to give up.

18.

The semester has ended and winter break has gotten off to an awesome start! My hard work (and unnecessary stress) paid off once again and I am so relieved. Monday was great; I got to go to several Disney parks with a very good friend and then spent that night at my brother's. Today was also very good and I was able to rest up a bit. I'm not entirely sure what the following days will bring but I'm sure everything will be great! A few aspects of my mom's health have me concerned at the moment but I'm hopeful that everything regarding that situation will end up just fine. Recently, more than ever, I'm beginning to realize who's more important to me and also who I might be important to. I've never really been overly concerned with that sort of thing, but it is certainly nice. The holidays are growing closer at a faster rate each day and I know that in the blink of an eye they'll be fading out of view behind me. I'm going to work hard to enjoy them without stressing about the small things and let them pass as slowly as I can.

17.

A semester that I thought would never end is finally over. Now I just have to get through finals and it will be completely behind me. I can say I learned a great deal, but it was definitely not an easy process.

I am coming to realize that it is sometimes impossible to fully understand other people and their situations. Even if one can relate, everyone will view his or her own situation differently. A lack of complete understanding does not in any way mean a lack of sympathy and/or a desire to help and I wish this were more easily expressed. Every person (or at least most people) on earth has at least one cloudy moment in his or her life. This moment might be in childhood or it might be when the person is very old, but it still happens. I think if more people could understand this the world might be an easier place to live in.
A lot of the times people feel like they have nobody who cares about them or nowhere to go. Maybe this is true, but I feel that sometimes the problem is people dont't accept help being offered to them; maybe they don't even realize help is available. There are also the people who are too proud to accept help. I guess the main point I'm trying to make with these ramblings is that everyone has someone who cares about them; let people care about you sometimes and don't close up. Only an ignorant person would look down on another person for accepting help when he or she is having a tough time.

16.

It is now the first day of the last month of the year. It's funny how slowly time seems to drag by until you look back and realize how quickly it passed. A lot has happened in the past eleven months; a lot has changed. I now find myself at the beginning of the last week of my teenage years and I can't help wondering what the coming year (and years) will bring. Despite the temptation such thoughts bring as far as daydreaming and sidetracking are concerned, I have to stay focused and successfully finish the tasks immediately at hand. December is always a good month and I feel that I will appreciate it more than ever before this year. As exhausted and tired as I feel, the knowledge that all the work and time I put into everything I do will pay off gives me the energy to get through it and I will have a time to reflect on it and prepare for next year in the coming weeks..