Taking Flight

Change has always been difficult for me. I had prepared myself as best as I could for the inevitable task of leaving for college, but the transition was still a challenge. I am in love with my college. Everything from the majestic buildings to the smoke on the mountain is awe-inspiring and gives me a sense of peace. I have an awesome roommate and suitemate, and have found “my people,” but there are still times when I get homesick and would love just to be back with family and friends from home.

For those of you who know me personally, you probably expected that the most difficult part of this whole ordeal would be spending time away from my mom. For as long as I can remember, Mom and I have been inseparable. She pushed me to be the best I could be from Kindergarten through delivering my high school graduation speech. Her standards were high and that spurred me on all through school. My earliest memories were in her classroom. I would play “teacher” through the duration of her inservice days, making my invisible students listen to lessons about the American Revolution and the Trail of Tears; we never ever did math. My 6^th grade year, Mom went back to school to get her Education Specialist degree; otherwise known in the education world as an ED.S. Three weeks into my college career, looking back on her school workload, her teaching workload, plus the full-time job of raising me by herself, I am quite convinced she must have superpower. We didn’t have it easy, which showed me what it looked like to work for something you truly desired. Mom taught me a lot in 18 years, and while I know it was time for me to leave her nest and fly, I am missing our car jams to K-Love, our long talks after school, and eating our favorite Mexican food together. This semester I am taking 19 hours of classes, working a job, and doing a show. When I called her a couple of days ago complaining about my workload, she reminded me how blessed I am to have the opportunity to go to college. An encourager, just like my Grandaddy, she said the four words that served as the slogan for my Class President campaign last year: “She CAN Do It.” Later in the day, I got a text with Philippians 4:13 quoted. I may not have voiced it to her, but her encouragement and support meant the world to me. Today, I am thankful for her sacrifices, her willingness to give, and I am thankful God chose me to be her daughter.