The Moments I Can Not Forget

I remember walking along the beach with my friend one morning.  The sun had just risen and the sky was a warm hue of tangerine.  When my feet made contact with the sand, they left sloshy imprints; the movement of the ocean foam removed every mark, leaving no sign of a previous pathway.  As typical, our conversation moved towards what was becoming of our lives.

What is becoming of my life?

I am finishing up my final semester of my undergraduate career.  It's moments like these which influence me to reflect on the person I have become and the person I desire to be.  

The past three years have been full of growth.  I have learned so much and have changed immensely. 

I have learned to love diversity, embrace change, and face trials with more trust and faith in God.  My desire to love and serve has increased as well as my passion for life.  

As much as I have learned, I still have fears and anxieties about the next steps I will be taking in my life.  I have a fear of money, a fear of love, a fear of disappointment, and a fear that I will become trapped in a mundane and mediocre life.  As I was voicing this same sentiments to my friend, she shared with me this quote by Amelia Earhart:

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward."

Our fears are paper tigers!  The imagery painted by this statement is incredible.  Paper can be crumpled, burnt, ripped to pieces, and blown away.  Realizing that the same can be said about my irrational fears, is empowering.  And it will be done.  As long as I am able to let go of them, I am free to do whatever I desire.  

I will continue to travel, serve and love.  I will get married, raise a family and build a beautiful life.  It will be exemplary and one-of-kind.  

My fears are paper tigers.  

And with every step forward, the fears of the past will be washed away just as the changing tide erased my footsteps in the sand that beautiful morning almost three months ago.

The morning with the rising sun and the tangerine colored sky.