My mind's wanderings

I know I'm not the only one, but almost everything I experienced while growing up, my friends did, too. We all experienced the same changes at the same time. Like starting high school, learning to drive, dating, and graduating high school. We were all pretty much on the same page. We helped and supported each other through these stages in our lives and longingly awaited for some of them to arrive.

But now all of that has changed. After we graduated, we all took our own paths. We had to learn independence and make decisions based on what was best for ourselves. We grow and experience life in different ways now. Some of us have taken paths that were very predictable, and some of us have learned to deal with the unexpected turns that our particular paths have sent us on.

This is probably my favorite part of growing up. I feel like my friends and I have helped mold each other into the people that we wanted to become, and prepared each other for what the future brings. Now more than ever, I feel like we are all on different levels and I love it. It's amazing how what is right for me at this time, is completely wrong for someone else. We are all on our own time tables now and only our Father in Heaven knows what lies ahead for us and what we need at each time in our lives.

Some of us are married...

And some of us are dating some seriously cute boys...

And some of us are serving missions...

While some of us are single and having fun...

Some of us will be getting married soon, some of us will be going back to school, some of us will be on missions, and some of us will be working. It's crazy that life is taking each of us in our own direction, but I know that Heavenly Father is leading us to where we need to be. Looking back on my life one year ago, I realize that I have grown so much.

This time last year I was a complete mess. Sam and I had just decided that we needed to break things off so he could prepare for his mission. It was the most difficult thing and also the best thing for me to go through. I would definitely not be the person that I am right now, if it weren't for that. It taught me a lot about trusting in the Lord and being confident and independent.

I find myself getting stressed out and maybe even a little bummed out at times when I think about where my life is headed. Especially when I look at others and feel like they are doing much better things than I am. But my purpose in this life is different from all of my friends. Everything I experience is to prepare me for what I am to become. In this life as well as the next. I know that I still have a lot of growing up to do, but I know that I am where I need to be at this time and that my Father in Heaven loves me and will be there for me to help me reach my greatest potential.

What more can I ask for?

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”  -Dr. Suess