What do I say to people of such high importance? What will I say in the 10 minutes I've been given that will inspire them? 10 minutes isn't a lot of time when you're so passionate about something. I suppose I shall tell them how important they are. How they are our tomorrows. They need to know that, and know someone believes it. They need to feel empowered and know they can change the world. I will tell them my story, and tell them that even though they might not realize it yet, they have already started theirs. Now, all they need to do is fill them with all the exciting things that will lead to an ending they desire, or even better...
On a different note....
Around the same time as the Women's retreat that I went on I was supposed to go on a trip to California. I initially was going to visit my boyfriend, but sadly for him, he broke up with me. Ha. Well, being the positivist and opportunist that I am, I decided to go anyways. At least this way I could go where I wanted, when I wanted, with who I wanted, and do what I wanted. (And trust me, it was GLORIOUS!) I really just love travelling and I feel more at home in Cali than I do in Kansas, so I kept the plane ticket and took 2 weeks off work.
The weekend of the retreat my trip came up in discussion and someone told me that they didn't think I should go. She was worried about the culture there and being given too many opportunities.My Mom was also worried, and not exactly keen on the idea of me traipsing around LA doing whatever I please. I tried explaining to them that it was something I needed to do. To go out and experience life, travel on my own, and not let my exes poor decision effect me negatively. I just wanted to live life. No work. No stress. Just beaches, sunshine, old friends, and new ones. Which by the way... This is a new friend, Excelsior Lady, that I met and she got me started on this whole blog thing. Hers is amazing, (when I read it I like to think that her and I would get into lots of trouble together if we lived in the same city.) and you should check it out.
Here we are at the Dodgers game together and I look...weird. Must have been the eclipse that night.
Despite the warnings I went. And before I even landed at LAX I was absolutely positive that I was destined to be on that plane flight to Cali. I might even be bold and say before I even left Kansas.
I boarded the plane in Wichita knowing that in just a few hours I'd be picking up my rental car and eating In N Out. I headed to my lovely window seat that I had been dumb enough to pick ahead of time and pay $10 to do so. On the way the flight attendant asked me if I would mind sitting in the Emergency Exit row. Extra leg room and I get to get off the plane first in the case of an emergency... yes please! I readily agreed. A few people pass by and he stops another lady and asks her the same thing. She sits down, leans over and gives me her reasons for saying yes, and they were the same as mine. I instantly liked her. Ha. I pulled out my overly priced Cosmo mag I bought at the airport and waited for take-off. As we sat there the lady next to me pulls out her cell phone and called someone. I over heard her say the plane was different planes she had taken to Haiti, but it was very nice. She finished her conversation and I went back to reading about Kim Kardashians new outfit or some other irrelevant thing that is apparently relevant enough to be in a magazine.
After getting half way through I grew bored and curious. We still had God knows how long to go and I figured I might as well make a new friend. I sparked up the conversation with the only thing I knew to talk about. Haiti. She told me she goes there often because she works with and owns orphanages over there. I was blown away. I remember thinking, "I'm going to go to Haiti" And not in a "Oh that would be nice to do one day." kind of way but rather in a "I'm GOING to go to Haiti." kind of way. Something inside of me knew that out of this screwed up seating arrangement was going to come an opportunity of a lifetime, and I knew exactly what the opportunity was. We continued talking and I expressed how in love with her mission I was. How jealous I was of her getting to go over there and help. She told me of others that came to volunteer and about the kids. At one point she even told me that she had a feeling that I was destined for something great. That my spirit and my ambitions were going to help me change the world. When she said that I didn't know if it was a good idea or not but I remember saying to her, "You're going to think I'm crazy, but I'm going to work for you in Haiti. I don't even know how I know, but I'm going to change the world and it's going to be in Haiti. Us sitting together wasn't just coincidence. We were brought together for this very reason, so I can go to Haiti with you." I felt like a nut job when I said it. Like I had lost my mind. She just looked at me and said, "You know. I believe every word of that. I've been praying for someone for months to move there full time, and just haven't found anyone willing to do it."
And in that moment, my dreams were literally handed to me by a stranger.
