Nothing is Different, but Everything has Changed

So much of my life has changed since I started this blog. I set out on a journey to happiness, admitting that I had a long way to go. I am now a college graduate and I am in my first year of teaching. I left behind the hardest years of my life and I rarely look back. When people ask if I am happy to be done with college, I am quick to answer. I was ready to leave even before it started. Obviously, I think education is an extremely important thing. I may not have had the greatest experience, but it was certainly worth the effort.

When I am in the classroom, I often find myself wondering when I got so old. How is it possible that I am the teacher? Talking to my students, I realize that I picked the right field. I love hearing them laugh, seeing them learn, and watching them grow. I cannot imagine a more rewarding profession. I constantly think of my kids. I want to do all I possibly can to make them successful, realize they are important, and encourage them to be better people.

While I love my "grown-up" life, what surprises me the most is how few friends I've stayed in touch with. There are plenty of people I would love to talk to, but now that we graduated, we have nothing in common. It amazes me the number of "temporary friends" I made. It's like the only thing that brought us together was our location. Now that we've moved, there isn't anything we still share. Honestly, I think I have 3 friends from Michigan that I talk to regularly. They are truly the most amazing people and I would be lost without them. Still, I wish that the others I grew close to over the four years would have remained a part of my life. I pray for the day that I create a steady group of long-term friends where distance means nothing.

While I don't feel different, I know I am. I've changed so drastically and hardly at all. It is like I became the person I was meant to be... I just didn't know it was happening. Suddenly, I find myself taking control, asking questions, and living for more than myself. I am not afraid to fight for the things I believe in or to stand up for others. I know that I will find solid friends and create the life I always imagined. I realize that I have not found complete happiness, but I can tell that I am on my way. I am so much stronger now and I refuse to give up my dreams.