Whoa, has it been some time? I seem to always do it and it happens to all of us we get wrapped up in our lives. I have things that I have written but nothing worthwhile that made me want to post. So, I hope this satisfies an itch that you have because I know you all were just craving and refreshing your Twitter feeds waiting for a new article from me.
Shoutout to all my friends for this one. Friendships, they’re what keeps us sane, yet go crazy at the same. They’re what you love, yet despise. Sometimes even losing one hearts more than losing a significant other, but friends are there because no one told you life was going to be this way except maybe them. You always hear people say surround yourself with people that are go-getters that have the same aspirations as you, that will help make you better. I say that's only part of a long equation that requires way too much of my time to figure out. What should you look for in a friend, you may ask? Well, a friend is someone that pushes you to reevaluate what you're doing and if you're doing it the right way. Friends are there to celebrate your accomplishments, yet a week later ask what’s next. A friend is there to make you laugh when you're sad, at the same time help you realize that what you’re sad about won’t matter a year from now. Most importantly a friend is there when you need them the most. Friends are great because they force you to see a world that they grew up in, one that you may have not even known existed. They force you into doing, eating, creating, and thinking about new things every single day. If a friend doesn’t do those things then, well, you just found yourself another you and to be honest that's pretty boring and most likely you’ll get sick of them. Like most things, though, sometimes friendships don’t last. Maybe they took the side of your EX and you hate them for that, or maybe they disagreed with a view that you were so adamant about and things just fizzled away. Whatever the case may if it wasn’t meant to be then it wasn’t meant to be. Those friendships that last though, you know those ones where you can simply look at each other laugh and know exactly what the other is thinking, those right there are the best. In my time at BG I have met some of my bestest friends (Yes, I am aware that bestest isn’t an actual word). While I still have some time left, it hasn’t hit me yet that in a matter of short few weeks some of these friends will be miles away and we will check up on each other but it won’t be like it is now. I’m dreading those days where I look back about all the fun times we’ve had, all those times just sitting around that seemed like we were doing nothing, those memories of just being ourselves not worrying about a single thing in that moment of time, I’ll miss that. I’ll miss every single one of them. My friend tree extends far beyond the walls of my dorm room, my house, they stretch across classes and groups and everywhere in between. So, to all my friends, thank you, God bless, keep in touch, and most importantly I love you, don’t ever think otherwise.
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Last year I got involved with Dance Marathon, which if you don’t know what that is, it is an event that is held annually across the nation that people who partake in it dance for 24 straight hours, well at least stay on their feet. All of this is done to raise money for local Children's Miracle Networks, which helps many families and hospitals regarding health issues that many kids face.
I participated with an event that was connected to Dance Marathon called Bikes For Tikes. Same reason to raise money different activity. The objective was to bike 180 miles from Cincinnati to Bowling Green in a three-day span. Some complications came up and well the 180 miles turned into only 60 miles. It didn’t devalue the event or make me think differently of anything. The overall goal was to raise awareness and raise money for the local CMN. I had a blast participating. Well, last fall I started to think about whether or not I wanted to do Bikes For Tikes again. On one hand, I loved being a part of something so special and helping so many. On the other hand, it’s very time-consuming. I kept going back and forth in my head, “should I do it or not?” Well as some of you may already know I choose to participate and here's why. I was never against Dance Marathon I was never against raising money for kids. I had a wonderful time biking even though my experience may have been cut down a little bit. It was making sure I had enough time do everything else I needed to do because it was my final year here. This was an opportunity though that I felt that I could not pass up. Who am I to say, “You know I’ll just give money to my friends that are participating and that will be good enough.” I mean sure it helps and I am doing a great deed, but was it really all I could be doing. No, I've never been in a situation where I considered myself in need of any of the services that CMN offers or provides and I count my blessings because of that. So many people are asked what is your why or in other words, why do you what you do? Some people say well when I was younger I needed their help or I have family or friends that have been helped. I don’t fit in any of those categories and I am very fortunate and hopefully, I won’t need to, but that is out of my hands, much like it is out of the hands of all the people who need these types of services. These people didn’t ask to have these types of things happen to them. I do it because if I don’t then who will, I do it because I am an able body person who has been blessed with the life I do and there are a lot of people who are not as fortunate, I do it so more children can celebrate more birthdays, I do it because I want to make a difference, I do it because money doesn’t solve all the problems in the world but it sure as hecks helps alleviate some. I do it because I care. I do it because I want to make a difference. So to all those who are participating, thank you for all your hard work and dedication, to all those that help support me and everyone else, thank you, your generosity goes a long way. To those who rely on the services and need our help, know that you are in our prayers and we won’t stop because every kid deserves more birthdays, every kid deserves to grow up and live their dreams and every kid deserves most importantly to be a kid. If you would like to help this cause please click the link below. I don’t care if it is $1 or $100 every penny counts. There is no such thing as too little and there is no such thing as being too generous. We, as a community, as a family, as a whole, have the opportunity to make the world a better place by helping so many. Additionally, I will be donating $10 from every paycheck I receive to this cause. Also, for every retweet, like, share this article gets I will donate an additional $1. So spread the word and make me pay for it. Thank you and God Bless. Ryan Strodtbeck https://tinyurl.com/y7urdmtb Time is the best medicine believe it or not. Combine it with a little bit of faith and well you have a cure that could heal nearly every wound. Of course most of these wounds I am talking about are metaphorical wounds, but hey, even small physical wounds heal over time as well.
Think about that heartbreak from 5 years ago, 1 year ago, heck even three months ago, is that pain that you felt that happened still there? How many times do you think about it now? The answer is most likely less than those moments following immediately after it. Sure every once and a while these bad thoughts can creep back into your head, but they don’t have the same effect as they used too. Heartbreak, death, embarrassment, anxiety, and some many other things can be cured with the passage of time. It always hurts right after the event happens, but like physical wounds, it's because of how fresh it is. Much like physical wounds as well, the more you touch it the more time it will take to heal, so in comparison the more you think about it after the event the longer it will take to heal. Time has a way of healing that no other medicine has. One day you wake up and you laugh at yourself and say “I was so upset every picture or every thought was just a feeling that you thought never would go away and it did. Time makes us stronger. It teaches us everything we need to know about ourselves. Every day we get closer and closer to where we are meant to be. Every once in a while we have bumps in the road, sometimes those bumps are small little speed bumps telling us to slow down and take a look at what we have. Sometimes these bumps throw us out of our seat and on to the pavement below. It hurts getting thrown like that. You start to think that there is no way I am getting back in that vehicle and getting back on the road all because you are afraid of getting thrown out again. Eventually, you find the courage and start riding again and soon enough you look back to where you fell off and ask yourself why was I so afraid of going again. It is amazing of how many scars we have physically and emotionally that have healed over because of the passage of time. Sure these scars can reopen if they are cut open again. These scars only come back even stronger and even more badass looking. Each scar telling a different story. Each scar coming with a memory, and thought, a healing process, the only constant variable is that they eventually healed over the passage of weeks, months or years. Don’t be afraid to show those scars. Everyone has some version. Some greater than others and if anything, it proves that people are more alike than different. However, some people's scars are still open, some are still fresh. It is important to realize this and treat everyone with kindness. You don’t know how long their scar has been open but they are all working towards healing it. It may take more time than others. Be patient. Eventually, time will take its course and heal those who need it. Time is constantly in the back of our minds. It is a way of measurement, how old you are, how far a destination is. Most of all time helps us realize that all we need in life to heal from something is to just give it time. Every morning I wake up to a bible verse notification on my phone. Whether it be John 3:16 or Philippians 4:13, there is truth to every verse I read. These notifications are not merely just something I wake up to and quickly close out of. These notifications help me heal, give me motivation, and help put my mind on the right track.
Almost everyone I know believes in some external force, obviously some more than others and well quite honestly the numbers are dwindling. This article is not to push you to one side or another or even asking you to believe in something that you don’t believe in. It is simply the way I think and the way I believe. It is a step inside my mind. Every night before I go to bed I pray to god. I pray to him and thank him for giving me this life I live. I say thank you for giving me food on the table at night, thank you for a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in, for clothes on back and shoes under my feet. I also ask for forgiveness, for I too slip up and lose my way sometimes. I never ask for too much, only health and protection of my family and to say hello to all those who have seen the gates of heaven. I believe that God plays a big role in my life and that those things that are out of my total control and every chance and opportunity I have are presented to us because he has a plan or a purpose in life for me. Do not get me wrong I have strayed away from God before, I couldn’t believe that what was happening was all part of my plan. At times I stopped praying because it felt as though I was going nowhere. However in the end I still found my way back to him. My goal in life is not to have the best looking clothes or newest technology. I do not actively seek those products to become a better person. My goal in life is help as many people as possible. Sometimes in big ways and others small gestures. When I do help someone, my mindset is never how can this person help me if I help them. Nor should it be, that is a selfish way to live. Doing good deeds do give me a good feeling inside and as it should. Seeing someone smile or bringing someone to tears, in a good way, makes it all worth it. The world needs more love and less hate. With people seeking out love and attention on social media we stray further from our purpose in life. People start to judge others based on their status updates. Sure, I get caught in it, and you be damned if you don’t admit that you do it too. That is where my faith comes in and going to church is a step in the right direction for me. When I was younger my family and I would always wake up on Sunday morning and head off to 10 o’clock church. Whether we had the choice or not that is how our family gathered and came together. We then would head to my Grandpa’s house and have a big family gathering with all my aunts and uncles. This was just the way of life. As we started getting older and getting more involved with school activities, those Sunday visits became less and less frequent and soon enough we were relegated to being one of the families that just went on holidays. It was never lost on me though how much my faith would play in my life. I still prayed and still believed. I grew up and went to high school and soon enough I was attending BGSU. My first two years were rollercoaster of rides with ups and downs. Sometimes I find myself acting to my fullest potential other times not so much. Then junior year came and I made a promise to myself that I would attend church. I lived in my own house and started getting a bigger sense of responsibility. I woke up one Sunday got in my car and went to local parish here in Bowling Green. I would attend as many masses as I could,even after working 4-8 AM shifts at the front desk. Now every Sunday I wake up and head there. For me, going to church is a get away from all of that noise from social media and in life in general. For just one-hour on a Sunday, no phone, no judgement, no feeling of unwantedness. Church brings people together it makes people become family. Having faith and believing in something bigger doesn’t mean that I cannot make my own choices. It is a foundation to build on, it is the clearing of my head when everything seems to be putting pressure on me. Life isn’t always fun and it’s not always fair. There is good and there is evil. But to me there is a reason for all of that. My belief system is one I am proud of and not something I am shy about, but I will never force someone to believe in something if they don’t want to. No one is perfect and people should be free to believe what they want to believe. This is just simply how I live. I have once written one of these before but I decided I’ve changed so should my letter so here is an updated letter to my future wife.
Dear Wife, I am sitting here today, looking at everything I have done and accomplished. I have had dinners with hall of fame broadcasters, worked as an intern at one of the top radio stations in Ohio, and so much more that I consider myself one of the luckiest guys in the world. I am very proud of what I have done, even though I still feel as though it is not enough. I will always continue to strive to be better than I was the day before. However, all these accomplishments and everything I have done have been done in vain for personal growth and personal pleasure, like almost every single one of us. I have worked with others to come up with ideas, I have helped plenty others along the way to help them get where they want to be and I have no problem helping anyone because I’d rather help than be helped. I guess what I am saying is all this work that I am doing now is for my personal goals and there is nothing wrong with that because at the end of the day I want to make my family proud of me and that is something that gives me a great sense of pride. It is my hope, however, that one day I get to share all these accomplishment and achievements with you. I have written you once before and that was about a year and half ago. I realized that when I first wrote something like this that maybe I didn’t know exactly what I wanted. I have changed and I have grown up a little bit, although others may disagree. I am writing you again because I believe as I get older I am becoming more self aware of what I want and what I deserve. Through everything I have been through, and trust me I am not asking for any sympathy because I know there are people out there that have gone through much worse, but everything I have been through has shaped who I have become. I may have invested too much into people and I know that. I think they are all aware of that too. However, I am grateful for them. Every single one of them taught me something about myself. To those that know who you are thank you and I wish you all nothing but best. I don’t hold grudges and I want you all to be happy To all those who I have hurt, because like everyone else I am not perfect nor do I think I am, I apologize for everything, you deserved better than that. To every single one of you though, thank you for being my guiding light to my future wife, wherever she may be right now. Whether she sees this letter the moment I post it or reads it the night before we get married. This letter is intended for you, my future wife, to understand where I come from and where I currently stand in my life as a young adult, although young adult is a loose term as some might suggest. Certainly right now in my life I am not actively going out of my way to impose a relationship or rush into things with anyone, I don’t believe I am ready yet after many times when I thought I was. When that day comes though that I do meet you, and you somehow give a guy like me a chance to win over your heart, I will be ready. In my previous letter to you I stated who I was and what I wanted and hopefully saw in you. I still want all those things, well most of them. But I think I’ve grown to realize there's more to it than just that. I understand that I am a so called goofball at times that I am the attention seeker at parties and that I am more into country than you are. I can also be very stubborn, I get from my parents although they swear they aren’t. I do not ask that you change who I am because that will be me pretending to be someone I am not. Not one relationship is perfect. Each and every single one has its own ups and downs. It's how you communicate through those downs that make relationships work. Failure to communicate and failure to listen and understand can lead to more problems. If there is anything that I want you to know though is that if you are with me, it is that I won’t give up. To my future wife, wherever you are, don’t think for an instant that I don’t think about you. Whether you are my next relationship, or not, all I care about is that you are the last one. You are the one that never gave up after knowing all my quirks and irregularities. My first letter was about what I wanted, but this is about all who got me here and you for being there. Thank you for everything and cheers to much more. Love, Ryan One last time, that is all that is left. One last time until I begin on a journey that embarks the rest of my life. I sit here preparing for my final year of schooling. A journey that began nearly 18 years ago at a preschool in Olmsted Falls. It’s my last year of school and quite frankly I don’t think I’m prepared, in fact, this might be the least prepared for a year of school ever. Growing up I enjoyed summertime, but there was something always special about going to school. I never dreaded going back, I was that kid that couldn’t wait to be back in a classroom learning. It was always the start of something new, the start of trying to be organized only to realize that next year would be a better time to start. I was just excited to get back being occupied, learning how to derive equations and how Beowulf was the ultimate warrior. It is crazy to think about where I have been to where I am now. I am chasing a dream, one that even 12-year-old me would be proud of. The amount of support I have received has been second to none and it is all I could have asked for. For everyone that I have had a chance to speak with and grow with, thank you. Whether you have realized it or not you made an impact on who I am today. I am incredibly proud of how far I’ve become, but I know my story is far from over. Thinking about these last 18 years of having summers off and then going back to school in August, the way life kind of just changes in a blink of an eye. Maybe I’m just nostalgic about something that has even happened yet or even if that is even possible. This last year I am going to let everything sink in. Take one day at a time and cherish every moment I have with my friends and family. This last year is going to be for everyone who has got me here. For these past three years of college have been a blessing and I am in no rush to cut my time short. I have had many wonderful opportunities be presented to me over my time here as well as been able to succeed academically at the highest level. I wish I had more time here, but like the good old saying goes, good times don't last. These last three years I have been working extremely hard to put myself in the best position possible. For the past two years, I have had the incredible opportunity to become one of the only members of Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization to lead the organization while an underclassman and for multiple years. I have also have had the opportunity to be recognized as Media Production and Studies Student of the year twice (freshman and junior year). Over the past two summers, I have had the opportunity of a lifetime to work two amazing internships. My first was becoming the first play-by-play broadcaster for the Grand Lake Mariners, a summer collegiate baseball team. Then this past summer becoming a teammate and intern at ESPN Cleveland. Both of these gave me the opportunity to grow and learn about the potential industry I am headed into. I have been blessed my first three years on-campus and I look to continue on this path this upcoming year. This upcoming year will test my patience as well as my ability to stay organized. I have accepted two positions on campus at BGSU. My first was becoming a Student Desk Manager at Kreischer Ashley-Batchelder. Here I will be overseeing and maintaining a front desk staff who is responsible for keeping the building safe while also making the dorm hall a home for the students living there. Additionally, I have taken a step up and have become the Falcon Media Student Channel Director. This position will help me grow my understanding of the media industry as a whole. I will be overseeing all four major components of the student media on campus and working with collaborating with each organization. I am very excited about both these opportunities and look forward to continuing my goal of becoming the best person I can be. 18 years, that's what it took. 18 years of schooling to get where I am today and when it is all said and done I’ll have completed 19 years of schooling. There have been highs and lows, good times and bad, but we made it. Thank you to all who have helped me out and to those who will always be there for me. |
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