Follow your star...

The North Star by Peter H. Reynolds

I have always had a tendency to step into a comfort zone and stay there. I treasure stability, consistency, balance, security. Over the course of the last two years, that very foundation has been rocked to the core. Life changes have dictated that I move out of my comfort zone and face the challenges ahead. Some of these challenges have arisen from my decision to step out of the melancholy I found myself in, and some have been thrust upon me by fate. Nonetheless, I have decided to face adversity with an attitude of joy, pushing myself to become a better person. To that end, I have recently decided to pursue my long discarded dream of a college degree and enrolled in the Fine Arts Photographic Technology program at Catawba Valley Community College. 

While many of my family and friends support me in this new avenue in my life, a very dear friend gave me the biggest nudge to "Ask yourself where it is you want to go, and then follow the signs you already know." (Reynolds, 2009) Peter H. Reynolds, children's book author and illustrator and co-founder of Fablevision Learning, encouraged me to follow my star and realize my dreams. If you have never read his book, The North Star, it is a wonderful graphic to foster the quest for self discovery in students of any age. The search for knowledge and personal growth should not just  stop when we reach a certain age. It should be a never ending journey over the course of our entire lifetime. It is never too late to embark on a new adventure, to widen your horizons, to follow your star. Picking up a camera again has broadened my perspective and allowed me to look at my surroundings with a new and greater understanding. It has rekindled a passion that has long been buried deep inside me. I have opened my eyes to the world again, and I look forward to what I may discover.