After all, we're only human. Is there any other reason why we stay instead of leaving.

Looking back, I realize that the bad things do come in small doses and the good times outweigh them all. Laughing with my loyal friends to the point of snorting... that comes in large amounts. Sleeping in my old bed from childhood for one night, sitting outside with Momma talking about how the nights are growing shorter, interstate mile markers quickly passing... it cancels out every ounce of pain I've felt within the last year. Everything is so relative. Every ounce of heartbreak made me stronger. Maybe I only grow when my heart is completely shattered. I refuse to be angry about my past anymore because my past is what built my character.

Suddenly, another Autumn is approaching and I find myself in the exact place I need to be. There are no crossroads to speak of because there are no decisions to be made. For the first time, I'm realizing that my very own identity follows it's own course and although I may see that course as twisting and veering in directions I never anticipated, it's a perfect course. It is a path that has made be laugh at my innumerable mistakes. It is a road that helped me discover my greatest friends in life. It is a perfect track that delivered me safely through the trials and appreciate the directional signs.

I finally have the strength and the wisdom to stand defiantly in the face of adversity. So maybe I'm unsure of where I'll be after graduation in 8 short months. But, I'll tell you one thing... I'm ready. I'm wide eyed and hopeful that great things are on the way.