Never in a million years did I foresee my life taking this path. If you asked me this summer if I saw myself going to South Africa to work with at risk children, those who have lost their parents to violence, AIDS, and drug abuse, I would have given you my notorious “Kelsey Face” of complete and utter confusion. I would have told you, you were NUTS!!!! I am a creature of habit. I have a routine of procrastination that I uphold on a daily basis. I have my black belt in talking myself out of situations and the fact that I even filled out the application and followed through with all the necessary paperwork is an absolute miracle.
I talk a big talk about wanting to help others and be there for those in need, but I am finally putting my big girl panties on and putting my money where my mouth is. This is a huge leap of faith, as I not only break away from what I find comforting in the Midwest, but also redefine who I am as a person. The course of my life has already been changed just by deciding to dive into this adventure and I haven’t even gotten there yet. I have realized that helping children can become not only a career, but also a lifetime passion.
My life had the potential to take a very different path had it not been for neighbors, family, and friends who held me accountable. I owe everything that I am to all the people who never gave up on me. Using past harships and trials as a handicap is not in my vocabulary and I want to use my life experiences to provide love and support to those in need. I am no longer going to sit around and wait for life to happen, I am sinking my teeth in and ready to take on whatever comes my way. I am excited for this opportunity to give back. I have come to the realization that I should no longer settle on my dreams, what the world holds for me is 100X better than any I could ever fathom.
