Reflection

It goes without saying that I have been stressed. I have been worried sick about getting my work visa, getting it in time, getting to Korea, money for getting to Korea, yadda yadda. I'm pretty much forced to be static until August 16 (my magical day) when I can get my official transcripts and all of that good stuff. Today is my last undergraduate class, well, not even class because we're taking our final. So, tonight is my final undergraduate final. My goodness does that feel good. It's been a stressful summer thus far with studying for my Praxis (teacher certification) exam, being an adult and managing multitudes of paperwork, and taking my last undergraduate class of Geography, none the less (yes Mom, I know Alaska is attached to Canada and not floating out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean...thank you very much). But as this summer winds down and my anticipated departure date inches closer and closer, I can't help but reflect upon my life thus far and contrast it to my life that soon will be. My amazing, intelligent, beautiful souled, and gorgeous sister Kelsey is, as we speak, taking the Bar Exam (I don't know if that should technically be capitalized but the way she's studied for it, I feel that it deserves the respect of a proper noun) and it's incredible to think how we have grown up. It boggles my mind to think that we are actually at "that point" where we say goodbye to the incredible parents that raised us and we spread our wings and fly. It's just unreal to me. I'm sure it will feel a bit more real in a couple of months when I'm on a 12 hour flight to Korea. These sort of reflections get me a bit choked up, honestly, and it's pictures like this one that make me happy. This was posted on my sister's facebook and I'm not sure why I love it so much but I sense right now that it will end up in a frame on my desk in my tiny little apartment in Korea. This. Is. My sister. and she's amazing. One more item of sentiment. I was going for a run this morning (losing weight is on the top of my todo list before entering a country filled with size 0 women) and as I typically do, had my ipod on shuffle. Right on cue, as the end of my run was approaching, I was panting up that last hill using the last bit of strength that I found deep within, as I was leaving the forest and the sun was peaking through the canopied trees, this song came through my ear buds. I kid you not, I looked up at the bright blue sky, spread my arms out wide, grinned up at the rejuvenating sun, and spun around in a couple of cleansing rotations. If it were being filmed, it would have been in slow motion. It was incredible.

My sister and I are having our college graduation party on Saturday (she's obviously graduating as Doctor O'Donnell and I'm...well...I'm Ms. O'Donnell)

I can't wait to see where life will take Kelsey and me and what we'll do. This is an exciting time!

Lyrics: Soar by Christina Aguilera
When they push when they pull, tell me can you hold on
When they say you should change can you lift your head high and stay strong
Will you give up, give in, when your heart's crying out that it's wrong
Will you love you for you at the end of it all

Now, in life, there's gonna be times when you're feelin' low
And in your mind insecurity seems to take control
We start to look outside ourselves for acceptance and approval
We keep forgettin' that the one thing we should know is

Don't be scared to fly alone, find a path that is your own
Love will open every door it's in your hands, the world is yours
Don't hold back and always know, all the answers will unfold
What are you waiting for, spread your wings and soar

The boy who wonders is he good enough for them
He's tryin' to please 'em all but he just never seems to fit in
Then there's the girl who thinks she'll never ever be good enough for him
She's tryin' to change and that's a game she'll never win

In life there's gonna be times when you're feeling low
And in your mind insecurity seems to take control
We start to look outside ourselves for acceptance and approval
We keep forgettin' that the one thing we should know is

Don't be scared to fly alone, find a path that is your own
Love will open every door it's in your hands, the world is yours
Don't hold back and always know, all the answers they will unfold
What are you waiting for, spread your wings and soar

In the mirror is where she comes face to face with her fears
Her own reflection, now foreign to her after all these years
All of her life she has tried to be something besides herself
Now time has passed and she's ended up someone else with regret

What is it in us that makes us feel the need to keep pretending
Gotta let ourselves be

Don't be scared to fly alone, find a path that is your own
Love will open every door it's in your hands, the world is yours
Don't hold back and always know, all the answers they will unfold
What are you waiting for, spread your wings and soar

Don't be scared to fly alone, find a path that is your own
Love will open every door it's in your hands, the world is yours
Don't hold back and always know, all the answers they will unfold
What are you waiting for, spread your wings and soar

Don't wait, no more
You can soar
Spread your wings and soar
Don't wait, no more
Spread your wings and soar

So What you waiting for?
...Don't wait...
...Whoa!...
...Don't wait, no more...
...Don't wait...
...Don't Wait...