Why Am I Here?

At some point in life I am sure most of us have asked the question, "Who Am I?"Most likely it wasn't as dramatic as the scene from Zoolander, but none the less the question was still pondered. I do not believe this is the best self-reflective question we can ask ourselves because we are always growing and developing as individuals. I know for a fact that I am not the same woman today as the girl I was ten years ago. In 5th grade, I had no idea the adventures and hardships that I was to endure. So I pose a better question to ponder, "Why Am I Here?"

Why is it that you are in this place in life at this exact moment? Who are you there to help? Who is there to help you? What are you supposed to learn from this situation or time in your life?

Many people just go through life and take fore granted the fact that each day is a gift. Every day is a blessing and a lesson should be taken from it. Life would be so much more satisfying if people reflected upon the lessons they learned during the day.

One of the lessons I learned today was the value of a true friend. When times are hard and you feel like giving in friends are the ones who help encourage you to keep going. They are the ones who are right beside you putting in long hours at the library. They are the ones who listen to you vent or give you a hug when you need it most. Friends are truly something to be treasured in life.

Friday I went for a run around an area in Belfast that I hadn't been to yet. It got me thinking about the new experiences I was having. Ireland is another chapter in my book of life. So why Am I Here? Why am I in Ireland for the spring of 2010? What am I supposed to be learning about myself and about life here that I couldn't anywhere else?
All of these are questions that I pondered as I ran the streets of Belfast. I know that I have learned many things by studying in Belfast, but I also know that many more lessons are yet to be learned. I know that I will forever leave a mark in the people lives that I have met, just as they will mine. I know by personal experience that the world does not revolve around small town Iowa like some people back home like to believe. I know that good people exist everywhere, but so do bad people. I know that English comes in many different styles and dialects that can be so different from my own that I hardly recognize them as English. This just shows how different even the most similar of things can be, and makes tolerance for differences even more imperative.

Many reasons why I am in Ireland have not yet been revealed to me. Some of the experiences may not have significance until I have completed more chapters in my life. But I do know that this chapter will be full of adventure and growth. And that this is one chapter in my life that I am trying to slow down because I do not want it to end..