I get this question a lot: "Oh wow! You do so much work in Africa, is this going to be your profession? How does it relate to what you're studying in school?"
SO... The other day I wrote a paper for a class, and thought I'd share how it has all come together for me.
Enjoy! P.S you can look up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsWiwFRVsqU to see Jeffery A. Thompson's talk on callings in life
My Calling in Life
My
calling in life has been made pretty clear to me over the years, it seems as
though every opportunity has lead me to it. I’m lucky that I haven’t found much
anxiety while looking for my calling in life like Jeffery A. Thompson suggested
might happen. Still, as most people are, I was lost as a teenager. I didn’t
really know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to be. Then one day I came
upon the opportunity to go to Ethiopia and Kenya in Africa. I knew nothing
about these countries but wanted to go because I thought it would help me find
myself, while losing myself in the service others. I couldn’t have been more
right.
While
I was in Africa, my first time, I realized how much joy I found in people and
getting to know and love them. I found a great happiness from traveling and
seeing new places and cultures and loved my experience teaching them. When I
got home I started to think more about how this joy could be a part of my life
forever and even make it into a career path. I began applying for BYU, a school
I had never thought I’d want to go to, and researching the field of psychology
and counseling.
In
college I started majoring in Psychology and continued traveling to different
parts of Africa. While there I developed
and worked with many women groups and loved every minute of it. I began to
realize how much I love being of comfort to people and giving them anything I
could- even if it was just a word of encouragement. I learned about how much
passion I have for helping people to see their true potential and worth. I
realized that overall, I believe in self-confidence and how much it can change
a person and their life- and most important, how everyone is worthy of that
love for themselves.
Many
times since then I have been given opportunities to counsel with my friends
here as well. My passion for wanting people to believe in their self worth has
given me drive to peruse a goal in counseling. This goal has developed as I’ve
found new ways to be a therapist. For example, my path unfolded I was talking
to one of my best friends, one day, about how I love therapy but wish I could
do it in a more fun and adventurous way- something to keep me moving. She told
me about the major of recreational therapy and it sounded like a perfect fit! It
combined everything I wanted: working with people seeking help and helping them
to find their confidence through counseling and learning a new recreational
skill.
Over
the years I have not only found that teaching, listening, and motivating people
is a passion of mine, but also a gift God has given me to do it well. It
doesn’t take much effort for me to take the time to understand other people or
to want to do it. At times I have met complete strangers who have began talking
to me and I’ve just sat down with them and actively listened. At the end of our
conversation they have thanked me and have felt so much better- and all I had really
done was listen to them.
I ‘m continuing my pursuit of being a
recreational therapist and using the skills I learn to help me in my endeavors
aboard as well. I feel like everything said in Thompson’s “What is Your Calling
in Life?” talk, has helped me see that, indeed, my calling in life has been
made clear to me through various events that have led me to where I am today. I
have a clear understanding of what I love and am good at doing, and an even
clearer passion for it. I’m still not sure what comes next and what
opportunities will continue to mold my goals, but I am confident that they will
lead me to where I want to be- as I am living righteously and trying to use the
gifts God has given me.
My
calling in life is to listen, help, and be a motivator to others.
