for good.

My parents took Jake and I to see Wicked at the Orpheum on Friday night. It was amazing - I had never seen it but had listened to the soundtrack a lot. I was so excited to see it and was glad that it lived up to my expectations. Elephaba was awesome. Her voice was so big and perfect. It made me miss doing theater even more though!

One of the songs was my favorite and has been since before I even saw the show: For Good. The lyrics really strike me and apply to so many situations in my life.

I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

......

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...


I've been so lucky to have so many people come and go in my life that have changed me for the better. Whether it was a few short weeks at a summer institute at Duke or a best friend, I've been surrounded by amazing people. During the show I was thinking about those special people a lot and I've been reflecting on it ever since. Sometimes I get so down thinking about the things I could do better, the things I don't do well, the disappointments I have in my life. It is so easy to get down on oneself. However I need to keep remembering all the things I'm grateful for. All the people that have put a handprint on my heart, that have helped me write my story.

I think about my 3rd grade CLUE teacher, Lisa, who showed me that being smart and academically aggressive was a good thing and helped me explore my creativity. I was the youngest in that class (Jake was in it too) and was constantly being challenged - something that was especially important at the time. She is still in my life and continues to be a mentor for me.

Another important person who came into my life is Hester, who started as my youth director in the 6th grade. She continued doing that until my 9th grade year, left for Florida for a bit, and is now back at Calvary. She has been such a role model for me and someone to look to for guidance through many years.

My orientation team from OL2K5 taught me about the true meaning of teamwork and leadership. Through the guidance of JGam, we worked a whole summer, leading 4200 freshmen and their parents and had a blast doing so. I never thought that I would get up at 4:30AM to Rocky Top every morning, work straight until 1AM at the end of the Big Orange Bash, and enjoy it at that. The 22 of us came together as strangers and emerged as a family. I try and model the lessons I learned that summer in my daily life. This summer as assistant director at camp, I looked to my summer in Orientation a lot.

JB is another person who has shown me a lot in life. She and I first met many years ago at camp. We were rivals of sorts and had a sense of hatred for each other, as little girls tend to do. As we got older we got to know each other and formed a friendship. She eventually was my roomate freshman year and we worked together two summers at CGM. We went through some tough times together, figuring out how to work together, live together, and remain friends. JB is the type of person who keeps you honest and expects a lot out of you. If you let her down, she'll tell you. I have come to respect her so much for that. This summer we worked together again at CGM and she was a huge supporter of mine through the weeks of camp. She showed me what a true friend is and how to be one.

Of course, two people who have come into my life and helped me write my story are Elise and Chandler. The three of us have been through a lot, sometimes just Chan and me, Elise and me, sometimes all of us including Ellen. These two girls have known me for entirely too long - Elise for 23 years and 8 months and Chan since December 23, 1995. We've grown together and learned together. Elise is a genuinely caring person who has a huge heart and insanely positive personality. Chandler is the type to keep you on your toes, constantly making you be a better person. They were my maids of honor at my wedding and gave so much of themselves for me. I just hope I can do the same for them.

Those are just a few of the many people I've been thinking about lately. The people that "because I knew them, I have been changed for good."