When Life Plans Change

When I was younger, this is what I imagined my life would be like by now:  Married with a kid or two.  My husband and I would own a house.  I would have a degree and a few years of experience in the workforce, but I would probably be a stay-at-home mom.  We would have pets.  Life would be predictable and good.

Now I am 27.  I am as single as can be.  I’m 2 online classes away from having my bachelor’s degree.  I have a job.  I live in my twin sister’s basement.  But I've also learned that you can never make plans for the best things in life.

The reasons I love working with teens

Life hasn’t unfolded AT ALL how I expected it would.  I never imagined that I would serve a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I never thought I would know three languages.  I never knew that I would be an Americorps member and learn to live and work outdoors building trails.  It never crossed my mind that I would love working with teenagers.  I never planned all the great adventures I’ve experienced while traveling across the country.  I never knew I would meet people so wonderful that would become as dear to me as family.

Wonderful people from my mission

Margaret and Bob

I never knew that Margaret and Bob would all but adopt me when I lived in North Dakota, and that Margaret would become my best friend even though she’s 53 years older than me.  I never knew that I would find a place among the kind people of Askov, Minnesota (look it up, it’s a tiny town and it has some of the state’s most thoughtful people).  I never knew that I would call the woods of St. Croix State Park home—and not because of the cabins, but because of the inclusive nature of the people around whom I found myself being completely comfortable as I am.  I never knew I would learn the true meaning of respect and listening from the amazing examples of people I worked and learned with on the North Shore of Lake Superior.  I never knew I would have a large base of friends in Utah—so large that I can go by myself to an activity and know that I would find people to have fun with, and that I wouldn’t be alone.  I never knew that I would have the kind of friend in South Dakota that I could call in the middle of the night if I needed someone to talk to, and that he could also do the same if he needed.  I never knew that there would be people willing to drive through a blizzard to pick me up and bring me back to North Dakota when I rolled the truck; and a friend who would say to me, “I’m sorry you rolled the truck, but I’m glad you get to stay one more night with me.”  And then to have a family friend drive 100 miles to ND and 100 miles back to bring me home again after the weather had calmed down.  I never knew that when I waited several years to be baptized that at least 100 people would unexpectedly come to show me that they had been waiting with me.  I never knew that a wonderful and generous family would invite me on their family vacation to Nauvoo, Illinois—a place I never would have seen if not for them.  I never knew that I would have friends that meant so much to me that I would cry when I said goodbye to them—not knowing when I would see them next—only to begin laughing and smiling to know that I had friends dear enough to me to make me cry.

Some of the people I shared 'home' with in the woods

Life is about learning and growing.  I may not have reached all of the personal goals I set when I was younger, but I’d say I have definitely learned and grown an awful lot.  I sometimes feel like I’m a little behind, but I never feel like I’ve failed.  And really, I’m not behind.  One day I’ll look back and see the brilliance of it all.  It’s not what I thought it would be, and it’s not what others might think it ought to be, but somehow it’s just right.  No, life isn't at all what I expected it would be when I was a teenager.  It's much, much better.  You can't plan on meeting amazing people.  You can't plan on love or friendship or experiences that mold you.  I consider my life to be truly blessed, and I wouldn't change the path I've traveled on for the world.