Amazing Journey

Every year as my birthday approaches, I like to look at back at my life to this point. What an amazing journey!!  What has driven me, my thoughts, decisions....would I change anything? I am sure everyone has these moments.

Well...at almost 33 years young ;) I can say that my life, although not what I imagined it to be at 17 years old when I was filling out my Senior Book, is exactly what I want it and need it to be.  Happy...fulfilled...successful....never boring.  I don't live a life full of regrets, every mistake is a learning experience, a chance to be better, learn something new.

I discovered this poem 15 years ago, a poem by Robert Frost, and it spoke to me.  I had graduated high school in 1997 and although I was always a great student there, was not finding the same success in college.  I was not happy (and that is what matters).  I was plagued by depression and panic attacks, but could never figure out why.

The poem is "The Road Not Taken"

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

 -- Robert Frost

The start of my road less travelled 

In April of 1998, I joined the United States Air Force, delayed my enlistment to June in order to finish the spring quarter at Wright State.  I would like to tell you that a lot of thought went into this decision, but I can't, it was an impetuous decision made in the heat of the moment.  A series of events drove the decision, I needed change.  I realized that I was not meant to walk the safe road, do what was expected, and be bored.  Don't misunderstand; joining the military was a CRAZY thing to do.  I had never been away from home, I cried ALOT. 

Then I chose a career not made by many women....I became a crew chief (aircraft mechanic) on the B-52.  That was a great job!  I enjoyed having my name on a plane, 60-0023 squadron airplane, (even if it was the third one), took pride in launching each aircraft for their training flights and then catching them when they landed, just doing the job that many thought I couldn't do.  Injury took me from the flight line and I became a Maintenance Coordinator and that injury eventually led to a medical separation in 2003. I won't bore you with the details of my time in the military, as it wasn't overly exciting, but I have to say as it turns out, it was the best decision I could have made. 

Through time, I have continued to follow that road less travelled; maybe one day, I will share it with you.  Sometimes my life does fork to the path that everyone else is taking, but I don't stay on that path for very long.  I have to change it up, be unique, and challenge myself daily.  I am not out to inspire anyone save for my kids, but if I do, I think that is awesome.  I aspire to be the best me I can be and I hope you aspire to the same.