Change of Plans

Have you ever thought about how one little thing can change the entire rest of your life? For some reason, I've been thinking about this concept a lot lately. As I reminisce about the plans I've had for myself over the past several years, I simply have to laugh. In my senior year of high school, I was sure I would enroll the following year in one of the new Ivy League schools. I was confident that I would continue dating the same guy through the summer and into the first year of college. I couldn't imagine not coming home for holidays to my house on Crowley Road. I resolved to no longer be an overachiever; I was going to be a "normal" college kid, and I wasn't going to get involved in extracurricular activities. I think we all know how that one turned out...

In an ironic way, I'm so thankful for all the plans that were foiled and all the "important" things I missed out on. Life is full of "what if" questions, and I rarely allow myself to entertain these thoughts. What if my mom and dad had only had one child? Though we may not always see eye to eye, my brother and I are what keep each other from crumbling in tough times. What if I hadn't gone to Baylor? I wouldn't have met some of my best friends and most valuable mentors. What if I hadn't allowed myself to be an overachiever and become a leader in Baylor Students for Social Justice? I may not have met my college sweetheart, and I may not have discovered my passion for compassion.

And of course, I must give credit where credit is due. This is the song that inspired me to write this post:

It's amazing to think how all the stoplights I missed, the positions I accepted, and the choices I've made have played such a role in defining my life story. I'm only 21, and I hope my story still has hundreds of pages more: full of delicious surprises, aching disappointments, exhilarating celebrations, and moments of contentment. I hope you''ll consider...how has your story changed from the original draft?