Deviate

I've been slowly getting ready for my senior year of college - it's hard to believe that by this time next year I will possess my bachelor's degree. Returning to school was never part of the plan - until it was - and some days it doesn't quite seem real.

Recently a friend of mine wrote about how her life path has deviated and I was shocked to find myself crying as I read it and thought about how my own life's path has taken twists and turns that were unexpected and unforeseen. What touched me the most about reading Seattlejo's thoughts were how she focused on what she has gained from the unexpected turns in her own life. It is easy to think about all the "what ifs" there are in life but much more valuable to reflect on what is because of what has been.

Going to work right after high school instead of following the more traditional college path has given me a family - the four people I love most in the entire world and cannot imagine life without.

Jumping into the pool of a bi-cultural marriage without first stopping to check that there was water in it first has shown me that regardless of what anyone else says, I am an excellent judge of people and of what is good for me.

Becoming a wife and mother at the age of 20 has given my children a mother with lots of energy, silliness and playfulness.

Being blessed with three children in a year and a half has given me more patience than I ever thought possible. I am stronger than I ever imagined.

Going back to college in my thirties has given me a much deeper appreciation for my education and what it will mean for me both personally and professionally.

My life's path has not been a traditional one and even now, as a 'non-traditional student', I continue along a crooked path rather than a well-traveled highway. I am thankful for my own path because I would not be who I am were it not for the deviations that have steered me in unexpected directions.