Right of Passage

Something horrible happened during my Spring Break of Senior year (in college, and I prefer that you do not judge me after reading this post). Three girlfriends and I drove down to Panama City Beach, FL from Syracuse, NY. FYI--this drive is not something everyone is destined to conquer. But the thought of home, sweet tea, Waffle House, Chick-Fil-A, etc...somehow trudged me on to arrive at our via point--GA's finest burbs--then our final destination: PCB. Partying is not the point of this entry so I will not focus on our time there.

 Fast forward to the end of the trip. We were checking out of the hotel, and I was carrying too many things so my friend, who shall not be named, offered to carry my blanket bag. I gladly gave it up while I went to talk to the receptionist. Then we were off on an 8-hour drive back to Atlanta. Apparently, in the 2 minutes that my friend had possession of my bag, she put it down (b/c it was heavy..?) and forgot to pick it back up. We realized this hours after crossing the state line of GA. I played it off cool and said it was okay. Except, it wasn't okay. The bag contained a few items but only one I cared about losing--my baby blanket. Most people are shocked when they find out I own such a thing just because I am the least bit sentimental and extremely independent that it seems silly for me to have a "security" anything. For those reasons, I was able to rationalize my sadness into "I don't need it anymore. I am a grown-ass woman," and I never gave it another thought....until today.

 I told that tragic (too superfluous in this context?) story only to say that getting over the only thing that could make me feel better at the end of a rough day became my right of passage. However unconventional, it marks a time in my life when I grew up and moved on when I didn't want to. There was no one who could fix the situation, and I had to accept it.

 Life has a way of taking away things we love, things we loved but didn't know we loved until we lost it, people we love and chances to do something great. But through God's grace, it also has a way of providing THE perfect opportunity at THE perfect time. In either case, you learn to appreciate what you have and become thankful for all that you have been given. The only thing left to do is embrace these moments at your will and never take it for granted. So since then, I've purchased two blankets, a rug, ottoman, desk, and a grand apt. No chance of losing these.