January 19

Way back when I was a preteen, a bunch of my friends tried to pressure me into piercing my ears. I didn't really want to so I said no -- over and over again. In fact, I bucked back against the pressure so intensely that I never bothered to do it, even when the idea started to appeal to me a few years back. But today, my friend Nikki and I went to the mall, and I finally had it done.

It didn't hurt a bit and was really easy, I like the earrings I chose, and I'll finally be able to wear some of the jewelry Logan bought for me way back when. But what's my point here? See, I'm not someone who likes change at all. I like it when things are familiar and comfortable and predictable. I'm also someone who's experienced a great deal of change in recent years, and I had no control over most of it. (And in most cases, it wasn't change that I would've chosen, if I'd been given the chance to voice an opinion.) So this was a choice I got to make for myself --without anyone else pressuring me-- that I think I'll like. So for that very small blessing, I'm thankful.