One year and 2 days ago, our young college graduate brought forth in this city a new state of being, conceived in confusion and dedicated to proving everyone wrong...

When life throws a curve ball... get out of the way. Just kidding. I don't even know what you're supposed to do with a curve ball. I'm a French teacher and a Mary Kay Independent Beauty consultant. I can answer a lot of questions, but not that one. As my life continues to march to the beat of a very fast drum (maybe the drummer is a hummmingbird...), I had time to stop and look at a few things from two years ago. You see, back then, I was still in college and mad that my fellow college seniors stayed up until midnight and I was falling asleep at 8pm while grading papers and watching some TV show... probably Glee. If past-me could see what I'm doing now, past-me would be overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong... I'm busy... But I'm living the dream. People talk about the American dream-- work your butt off and earn as much money as you can so you can spend it on whatever you want. That's not my dream. It hasn't been. Ever. Little Bridget... and we're talking little. Like 5'0" Bridget (4th grade or so)... She wanted to be a teacher. She loved office supplies and grading papers and teaching people things, even though she didn't really know how to teach or that the scrap papers she stapled together were essentially impossible to grade. The dream in her heart was to teach. People. I'm living my dream and I'm only 23. Yesterday, I was sitting in my classroom with the empty desks, recently vacated by hormone-saturated 8th graders, typing an email to a concerned parent when I stopped, overcome with the realization that I have my dream. It's come to fruition, if you will. I had to stop and breathe. My senses were saturated with unspeakable joy. Everything in my life has led up to this moment. Correction: these moments, for there are many. And this isn't it. I'm continuing my arsenal of experience for the next big thing. Yet, I can't help but wonder... If I am living my dream right now, what's next? Is my scope of my life so small that I consider my goal complete? Okay. I understand that you keep getting better. Believe me. I know. I feel like I'm a first year teacher again. No one wants that. Except first year teachers who don't know any better. The Bridget of 2 years ago was selling herself short. She was selling herself short because she could only fathom her goal on her terms. In the grand scheme of things... in the perspective of someone who can see years down the road, this is still the beginning. Isn't that crazy? I'm living in the climax of my dream but my life's story is just getting started! I am awed by how far I've come, what I've learned and how I've flourished. God is good and I am not alone. I am pursuing my continuing dream because I want to do my God justice... and the way I can do that is to dream the type of things that make me shake in my shoes. I think I've got that covered right now. ;) Thanks, God, for never letting me be stagnant. The last thing in the world I want is complacency. Here's to the next adventure, the next goal, the next dream. I hope to God you are pursuing yours.