“Learn to trust the journey even if you do not understand it. Sometimes what you never wanted or expected turns out to be what you need.” Author Unknown
Have you ever gone somewhere or volunteered for something and afterwards thought “What the heck did I just do?” I certainly have! There have been many times that I did something that I thought I’d never ever do and then it happened to be the best thing ever!
During the summer after my junior year in high school, I was an exchange student through AFS (American Field Service). The only reason I signed up to do this, was because I knew I would go to Europe. I had always wanted to go to Germany, or France or England. I ended up going to a small town outside of Johannesburg South Africa. South Africa!!! Not the journey I wanted to take!! But it ended up being the most wonderful summer!! I have still stayed in touch with the family that I lived with those many years ago! It was a trip I never wanted or expected but it ended up being what I needed. It really opened up the eyes of a 17 year old city girl who had never been away from home, let alone on an airplane!
Even when I think about these past 2 years as President of NABIP-NC, yes, I did sign up for it, but I can’t say that I knew where this journey was going to take me. There have been times when I thought, “what was I thinking”? “This is not what I expected”!! “Can I really do this”? But I can honestly say, it has turned out to be just what I needed to do. The friends I have made, folks I have reconnected with, will be life-long relationships! I have grown in ways I didn’t realize I still could! I just needed to trust the journey and those that paved the way before me.
With all of this said, I ask that you consider getting involved. There is a saying that “you get far more out of it than you give”. I believe that!! So, come on! Take the leap. Learn to trust the journey! Sometimes, what you never wanted or expected, turns out to be just what you needed!!