Ten years??????

During the graduation ceremony last week it dawned on me that it's been TEN YEARS since I graduated from high school. Has it really been that long since I donned my own maroon cap and gown?

It has.

My over-analytical nature went into overdrive as a I pondered about the things I have done and/or accomplished over the last ten years: graduated college, tatooed my body, dyed my hair more times than I can count, lived in a foreign country, lived with folks, learned a new language, became a teacher, and traveled the globe to my heart's content.

Life has been pretty good thus far.

As the graduation speaker talked about the challenges the seniors would face, I daydreamed about what my own future would be like in the next ten years. Where will I be? What will I be doing? I get scared thinking about the future. Deep down I still feel like the starry-eyed 18-year-old that was nervous about moving to Chicago and living on her own for the first time. Regardless of whatever fear I feel, God has taken me down a path. And he has always been consistent and faithful. He really hasn't left me, just gently guided me down other paths or taken me places I would never normally go. This has helped me shape my goals and dreams more realistically. I've learned to work harder for them, but be more relaxed if they don't work out the way I want them to. This has been good progress for me.

I'm excited to see what happens over the next ten years. Maybe I'll eventually learn to cook during the next decade. :)