I was taught from an early age that I can be anything I want to be as long as I set goals, work hard, and remain true to myself. My perspective on this changed during my first year of middle school when my parents separated and I had become a statistic. My life, as I had known it, collapsed from under me; like one of those Florida sinkholes that swallow cars, and trees, and houses and entire family neighborhoods. I became one of the 55% of American teenagers who are crushed under the weight of a broken home. Not only did I have to struggle through the emotional and hormonal changes young girls face at this age, but I also had to admit to myself that I was living a more imperfect life than 45% of other girls my age. .
After my parent's divorce, I had many ups and downs, each time thinking it couldn't get any worse. My world had been turned upside down and I struggled to regain my own identity. I cared deeply about how people felt and always wanted to make people smile, even though I was hurting inside. I tried my hardest not to let anyone see my pain. My world had collapsed around me and I believed it would never improve. At the start of my seventh grade year, a close family friend lost his son to a roadside bomber in Afghanistan. This changed my life more that the separation of my parents. .
I spent a lot of time over the next years with Mr. Don as he struggled with the loss of his son. He told me that spending time with me helped him even on his most difficult days. Mr. Don spent a lot of time at our house and each time he was there I felt myself making a difference for him. I knew the man he was when he arrived was not who he was when he left. I could see I was making in difference in the one man's life and it made me feel good about myself. If I could help him, why couldn't I have a career in helping people? I am not one to sit still for very long, so I knew my career would have to be in an environment that was fast-paced and constantly challenging.
