1:37 am. Just got done watching, or more like performing, High School Musical in Portuguese with my little sister, and now I’m listening to “By Your Side” by Sade. It just hit me. I’m living the good life. I was just thinking of how blessed I’ve been to have had incredible opportunities repeatedly thrown at me and to be able to do tons of things that most people will never get the chance to do in their whole lifetime–and I’m barely 18. The most incredible people have been placed in my life, to help me grow, to challenge me, to support me, to teach me, and to love me. I am grateful. I’ve found a passion in dedicating my life to service and it’s altered my world completely. I am grateful. I’ve been exposed to crazy cultures, developed family and a sense of home all over the world, and I genuinely believe I’m living my dreams, in addition to doing so many other things. I am grateful.
This may seem like an odd thought for someone so young, but if my time were to come this very moment, I’d be able to go in peace, because even though there’s an abundance of things that I’ve yet to do or see, I am so proud of what I’ve already accomplished. And because of that, I see myself as already being successful. It’s such a nice feeling being content with where I’m at right now. I wouldn’t change a thing about my past or present. I’ve come to understand that every struggle is nothing but a preparation for what is yet to come. (Thank you, Left Eye.) Coincidentally, no matter what family I refer to and regardless of physical location, I have a family full of strong women, and I am one of them.
I have the best life and I’m excited to live (really live), love (really love) and develop (really develop). Right now I’m living in the moment, learning to be still, cherishing the people around me, and soaking up all the beauty that life has provided me. I am all the way in love, completely humbled, and forever grateful. It’s sad to think that this part of my life, living in Bahia, Brasil, will soon be another story of my past, but I am at peace with knowing that there are only greater things to come.
*After looking over this, I’ve realized that I’ve said almost nothing about how my actual experience has been going so far, but that will come soon! For the time being, I just want to rejoice! Enjoy the attached pictures of myself and my all of my favorite people and my favorite locations, taken in the three places I’ve now come to call my home: Vale do Capão, Lençóis, and São Francisco do Conde.
