The Final Countdown!

This is it! Hope y'all enjoy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR0To5tDqFU

all good things come to an end....right?

Our final speaker for Honors Forum Part II was Dr. Morris, a former  UNA Economics teacher (35 years!) who currently serves as a City Council member for the city of Florence. He introduced his current occupation by admitting he worked very many hours with minimal pay. When I hear the words "City Council," it immediately symbolizes the idea of empowerment for me; this is because I witnessed the successful city council election of an 18-year old who had just recently graduated from my high school shortly after my father's term as mayor.

 Feats like this remind me that even though I am a young adult, with the right goals, I can make a difference in my community (which has only been affirmed by the speakers from this Forum!) Dr. Morris even reaffirmed that this is possible in a smaller community when he shared that although he grew up in large cities and moved every year from kindergarten to his senior year of high school, he chose Florence, Alabama as his permanent residence in 1974.

One of the most impressive things about Dr. Morris was the discussion of the Raymond Isbell Scholarship he helped create, in which ten faculty members who are retiring agree to teach an additional year with no salary. In turn, their salary serves as funding for this scholarship program, ultimately benefitting students just like us.

He also shared how his duties paralleled with the enrichment of the community and urged us to "contribute to its better quality of life." Just voting in elections (although that is admirable and should be encouraged) doesn't make or maintain Florence as a "fine place to live, work, or play." City council members don't simply vote on issues though; they are left with the ultimate responsibility to decide on major decisions like whether or not Florence should get a Wal-Mart supercenter (and probably upset the "mom-and-pop" store owners) or whether or not the city should pay an external company to ship out garbage.

It was obvious how much Dr. Morris took pride in both his job and UNA as he spoke with such enthuasiasm about the city council position and referred to UNA as "his school" and its attendees as "his students." He even shared with us his personal budget plan he used for both of his sons, entitled, "How to Be a Millionaire Without Winning the Lottery."

Overall, Dr. Morris has probably been my favorite speaker from our forums...I guess he was a great one to end on! Not only was Dr. Morris incredibly down-to-earth, but he was also very honest and open in sharing with us that it would be harder to help someone else if we weren't mentally or fiscally stronger. I've taken this to heart over the past two weeks since my recent surgery that has left me physically handicapped. I've taken a brief pause in my community service to heal, because just as Dr Morris said, "You have to love yourself first." Allowing others to help me and accepting my new, temporarily different self is a transition I'm definitely working on. However, I've learned through BOTH my volunteer and major surgery experience this semester just how lucky I truly am.

where is YOUR joy?

Dr. Tom Osborn did the impossible..he sparked conversation and an awful lot of creative thought. He began Monday night's forum with a little confession that he didn't believe he was a "model of anything," but rather "pushed" and "pulled by inner pressures," ultimately being "forced" to commit acts outside his own needs. Without sugarcoating any of our obligations in the Honors Program, that ultimately puts all of us on the same level. Dr. Osborn admitted next that he sometimes had to "talk [himself] doing what he has to do."

If I'm being honest, I didn't understand what that statement meant until later this week. Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Michael DeOrio performed a foot and ankle reconstruction on my left leg, and since then, I've begun to realize all the little motions I make each day and how every movement is at least a little voluntary. Going out of my way for others is even more difficult, and I think this is the analogy that Dr. Osborn wanted to share with us- one of reaching BEYOND our comforts to please another person without expecting any reward. He even made us understand this natural resistance to helping others, sharing that it was human reluctance to extend beyond our comfort zone.

Even if Dr. Osborn was a Professor Emeritus of History, that really wasn't important in sharing what he WANTED to share with us. More than anything, Dr. Osborn shared the ministry of Kairos to us, a program he had been active in for over 16 years. In Greek, kairos means, "special time," and in many ways I think that I can relate "kairos" back to this week of restoration and healing that I have experienced. In each session of Kairos, Dr. Osborn spends a period of Thursday-Sunday in a local prison "pouring love" on the prisoners (to the best of my knowledge, in the form of Jesus and cookies..) Through this process, the inmates transition from the "worst" the prison has to offer into "praying for themselves, their families, and each other in a circle holding hands."

One of the most powerful things Dr. Osborn shared was that the most effective Kairos counselors had been prisoners, the best counselors had been victims, and the best healers had been wounded. Having gone through a similar experience, the mentor is now relatable and better-fit to serve a wider range of clients. Often, I feel like that's the best way (or easiest way) to choose a job. Pick something that has greatly impacted your life. It's incredibly likely you know a great deal about it, and if you've taken the time to learn about it, you may have developed a passion. Passion is definitely what transforms a 9-5 work day into something tolerable, and what will turn my mystery of an occupation into a plan of clarity. B  a   b    y           s    t    e    p    s.  .   .    .     . 

So, if you catch me on campus, I'm the one wrapped in a cast (probably riding a makeshift scooter!) Here's to adapting to change and proudly counting the days until Christmas Break. This semester's been one for the books, and I'm pretty sure I've learned more about myself in these few months than I have the past nineteen years.


Psalms 18:1-3

be prepared for change.

"We hold on to what has worked."

This quote from Monday night's speaker stuck to me like a fresh piece of bubble gum on the bottom of a shoe. John Rusevlyan (former president of the local Rotary Club) knew his stuff...people do definitely hold on to things that have worked in the past, but just being honest...I hold onto a few things that haven't worked.

I have class at 9:30 am, and even though I've walked in a few minutes late on more than one occasion, I continuously hit snooze when I'm nestled under my covers.

I overplan details before I start a big project, and I sometimes end up overwhelmed before I can even begin it properly. Still, I continue to volunteer.

People are skeptical when we take on big tasks or decide on complicated dreams...but why? THEY are scared, so they want you to be. They can't understand why you'd want to do something they fear. They don't have time. They're afraid to fail (hi, my name is Carrie Bailey, and I'm afraid to fail. Everyone, welcome Carrie.)

But, as Mr. Rusevlyan said, things have a way of working themselves out...you just have to "have a little faith..." which is much easier said than done. When things are easy, it's really pretty simple to take a minute and be thankful for what we've been given..but if the going gets tough, it's hard to really be grateful for anything. We get lost...tangled...distracted by what weighs us down and we can't see a way out.

 So we're drowning? It's a well-known fact that I've been a little distraught about a major, but hey...John says that we won't get a job in our major anyways. "That's how scary the world is." We should just a take a job because, who knows, it may be our calling...and I hope that it happens that way. I hope I go into work one day completely unaware that my life is falling into place, and I find myself. A girl can dream.

"If we're not growing, we're dying." Sure, it's easier to quit, but what do we learn from quitting? What do we lose my continuing to push on? A lot of time, a little frustration, a few all-nighters, and temporarily a little faith in ourselves.

John Rusevelyan was one of my favorite speakers, because well, I love Rotary Club. I love Interact Club. I love leadership. I love people with kids. I love happy people. He was all of those and more.

He asked us if we knew where we were going....and the truth is, I don't, but I know one thing for certain. I want to be happy along the way. :)

i think i can, i think i can..

So Forum PERFECTLY matched my week and semester to date...things didn't go as planned. We had a speaker, but it definitely wasn't Elizabeth Moore from the Red Cross, but rather our very own Dr. Vince Brewton. Even if we didn't hear from Ms. Moore herself, I think we learned a more truthful, whole-hearted knowledge about the Red Cross Monday night than we would've heard from her one-hour spill.

The Red Cross participates in all facets of service for their community (and for all communities, in countries with Muslim overtones, the Red Crescent, and in predominantly Jewish communities, the Red Diamond.. Talk about marketing!) They include disaster relief, soup kitchens, water and food supplies to needy families, blood donations, lifeguarding, CPR training, and function as the official liason between the military and their families-- which I didn't even know...that definitely makes the Red Cross more relatable to me.

"Don't lose your head..." words from Dr. Brewton that definitely apply to the last four weeks of this semester. I can't lose focus. I can't quit. No matter how much I want to or how appealing that sounds, I have to stick it out. I have to be happy with A's and B's, and I have to keep them my grades that high (even if I am just a little disgusted by my new standards.)

 Dr. Brewton went around the room and asked us about our service. Luckily, Forum is one of the (few) classes I can say proudly that I feel confident about my work. Maybe a few of my professors parallel their efforts to those of non-profit organizations- they address a need (teaching us), just not very well.

To end on a true and positive note, Lilly has clearly saved me in many ways this semester. I am seriously crushed that I won't be able to work with her after Thanksgiving (with the addition of my new best friend, a cast on my left foot!) However, I consider her to be my "SUCCESS BY FIVE"--expect to see that title again in the future!

the truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.

This week, I won't give you anything sappy, untrue, or biased in the slightest. Today, on this momentous and absolutely glorious Friday, I will give y'all something priceless and much underutilized...the truth.

The truth is, I prayed for a C in a class this week. For that reason, I haven't spent as much time with Lilly as I wanted to (Over 12 hours this semester isn't nearly enough, but it has to be before my cast comes!) I'm excited to have an 85 in a realllly challenging class that just happens to be my favorite. I've found a new appreciation (and a little obsession) with sleeping. I've studied more the past week than I have since finals week trying (and succeeding) in making an A in Calculus. The people of Lafayette and the Honors Program have become like family. I'm learning how to say no when I don't have time to make all my obligations. I'm saying yes to ice cream sandwiches and new experiences, like volunteering in a soup kitchen with my roommate today.

I can't even begin to express how rewarding it was to spend just an hour in the presence of the attendees of the soup kitchen, and in those few minutes, the distinct presence of God. We arrived and were soon donned with our own aprons (I was super excited!) We then got to serve beverages to those who were eating lunch, and the conversations that these strangers had with me were some of the deepest I had shared in a long time. I got to share a little of my background, a bit of my faith, and a lot of my future with an older man who wanted only to share a few life lessons and stories that were incredibly uplifting. Elise and I were told that we looked like all-American girls, she looked like Taylor Swift, our smiles were signs of God's love, and that we were blessings...and those are merely the ones I can think of off the top of my head. If you're free any Friday or Saturday from 12-1 PLEASE take the time to go to First Presbyterian Church. You'll leave feeling a lot better than when you came.

So, backtracking a little to our speaker from Monday night, Bradley Dean. He currently serves as the Creative Director and Digital and Graphic Designer...but he immediately admitted that he "wears many hats." I feel like everyone in the Honors Program share this with him, even if our only two hats are balancing our studies and seeing our family. Luckily, and almost impossibly, I've found a way to juggle my three hats (the Honors Program, Zeta Tau Alpha, and SGA UPC) at Preview Day tomorrow, and I am SO EXCITED! The first thing Mr. Dean said that absolutely stuck with me (after he mentioned he was nervous public speaking...lovelovelove...) was that we should all take extra effort in our college years to prepare ourselves for the world after we graduate. Definitely a good idea.

Mr. Dean also confessed he was still figuring out how he could make change in his community, which is comforting to hear. Frankly, people who seem to have all the answers are awe-inspiring, but a little exhausting. He told us to never forget we were part of something bigger than we could have a say in. That piece of advice can be crazy powerful if you apply it to any situation beyond its face value. I'll leave you with my final favorite piece of advice he shared with us: "There's no movement without the first follower."

So maybe I don't have to TRY to be President of every organization I'm in...or make an A on every assignment...or every class... Maybe (currently a VERY small portion of the time) I can be happy following someone who I think is an amazing leader (Hailey Boeck!) and that's a wrap for the week. Love y'all! :)

your time is more precious than your money.

Tonight at Honors Forum, Leslie Tomlinson with the Womens League came to share with us about what exactly Womens League does (and especially what they don't do!) I was most impressed by her honesty...and if we're being honest, her pretty yellow skirt! It scared me a little to hear her talk about how she moved to the Shoals with roughly two and a half degrees and had trouble finding a job (even more considering I only have a little over half of one!) My intial thought was..Trouble finding a job? What kind of major was she? An English major? I shouldn't be an English major..oh..she was an English major. He was an English major. And I've come to the realization that it probably isn't ALWAYS what kind of degree you have, but rather how you market yourself. I will probably confirm that with an older, more "seasoned" and experienced person, because as Mrs. Tomlinson says, "With age comes perspective."

My favorite part of Mrs. Tomlinson's lecture was how she spoke to us as equals. Even though we, as 18-20 year old students, are considered adults, I think it's rare that a speaker can connect to our age group so well. Sometimes when you find yourself engrossed in an organization, you put "blinders" on. Everything that the group does is glorified, and those who find flaws in the group are perceived as wrong, crazy, or sometimes even evil. More often than not, that's why memberships become so private and (for lack of a better word) cult-like. Mrs. Tomlinson didn't follow this cookie-cutter behavior AT ALL. She told us the good, the bad, and definitely some of the ugly of the history of the Womens League, and at least personally, that gave a lot more merit to this organization with an educational, charitable purpose of bettering the community. If I needed any further proof, I found it through the required 40 hours of community service each year, plus 20 hours of community service simply working their events. So, maybe Junior League is more than just Apple Annie..Mrs. Tomlinson was a GREAT speaker, and I'm pretty sure her minor was Marketing (because I now want to be in Junior League when I turn 24..)

I'd like to end on SUCH a happy note; today Lilly came home with me!! The progress we're making together is seriously blessed by God.

keep showing up to the party.

So often I think we as humans like things because they are familiar...when the waiter to comes to your order and you're not sure what you want, you order the same thing you've always gotten. When you've been on a long trip and you finally reach your hometown, there's that feeling of relief that envelops you...a combination of these two feelings definitely surrounded me last Monday night at Forum when Jackie Hendrix from the Shoals Chamber of Commerce told us more about his volunteerism. (You may be wondering why, and that's because my dad works as Vice President of Business Development for the Chamber of Commerce in Jackson County..that's where I'm from, y'all ;)....) Because of this, I've spent most of my time helping Dad..or sometimes just observing him at work, so all of Mr. Hendrix's personal sentiments about questions people ask him absolutely hit home. The first: "Are you running for mayor?" Well, my dad did, and I spent four years of my childhood throwing candy in the homecoming parade because of it :) The second question: "How do you have time?" is one that I focused on intently. I think RARELY ever do we have time to do everything that we want to do. More often than not, a favorite excuse is, "I don't have time..." but what that really means is that you don't want to MAKE time for the obligation. I think that's why I have such a hard time saying no, but Mr. Hendrix admitted that he had the same issue. He also said that he thought, "If I don't do it, who will?" which is ALWAYS what I think about...if I don't do a job that I know I am capable of (and sometimes possess the talents to complete), who will cover for me in my absence?

So I'll leave that note by asking this question... What do YOU make time for?

Although I know the importance of Jackie Hendrix's job, it wasn't its description that moved me, but rather the other tidbits of information he shared with us. He simply stated that he "benefitted from being involved," but the way he explained it in debt included the relationships he had made through networking. All of that just keeps bringing me back to God's plan for my life. If I think that I have OCD tendencies, imagine God having to keep up with every single person's plan...all those to-do lists. Yikes.. Through Hendrix's service, one of the most powerful things anyone had shared with him was that he "changed the way [this] community thought about itself," and I think that ultimately describes my goal for not only myself but my job fulfillment. I want to be able to help someone (or groups of people) so much that I see not only a change in their lives for the better, but also a change in mine...to have more of a giving rather than an expecting spirit. Baby steps.

So maybe it's like Jackie said, I'll just "keep showing up to the party."

i get by with a little help from my friends.

I feel like the past week has been full of coincidences...in two of my classes, I have speakers that present new material for us to consider and build on. My favorite two speakers have presented right after one another, and they were both dentists. Throughout the past year and a half, I've realized what I value in speakers (and in people in general.) I loved Dr. John Lane (who spoke at Forum Monday night) just as much as Kay Parker because they both opened up to the classroom about their life journey. As cliche as that may sound, I believe it's a lot harder to reveal your innermost struggles or the obstacles you've faced along the way rather than simply mask emotions and pretend your life has been picture-perfect. Picture-perfect people aren't relatable, and I've found that the more upfront and honest you can be with me, the more likely I am to listen to what you have to say.

The beginning of Dr. Lane's speech definitely hit home for me. He shared that he was talented at math and chemistry, so he naturally thought he would pursue a degree in chemical engineering, until he figured out that it wasn't what he wanted. As crazy as this sounds, I've considered picking degrees just because I thought I could do them...not because I loved them, or I had a passion for them..but simply because they were "esteemed" majors and it was possible. The most important thing Dr. Lane said is that "your life will lead you." Sometimes we don't end up exactly where we'd thought we'd be in life, but maybe my faith in God makes that easier to accept. I've hoped that my life would lead me to a major, and this week, it has. On Friday afternoon, I made the decision to change my major to Interdiscliplinary Studies: Social and Behavioral Sciences after MUCH consideration...and second-thoughts :) With this major, I'm thinking that grad school is definitely in the works, and I'm currently thinking about pursuing a job that involves counseling at some level..which leads me to Lilly!

If you saw me on Tuesday afternoon, you saw me giddily walking home from Kilby School, grasping the hand of an energetic kindergartener. The more time I spend with her, the more I realize that she is impacting my life too. This week, she counted to 40, with only a little help on the transition numbers (twenty, thirty, forty)..which was incredibly exciting. Seeing her and observing the noticeable change that I am making in her life is a constant encouragement and reassurance that I'm making a difference. Even if she didn't learn another number or letter with me, the confidence I see building within her is enough to make me proud.

Dr. Lane shared that buying things to "feel good" gives you a happiness that has an expiration date, and after you invest time or money on them, you realize that you could've done without them. I realize that there are plenty of things in my life I could live without...the stress, the silly frustrations, and the constant worrying about small details that never really surface. But in the midst of this madness, I realize that maybe this semester was meant for me to find myself. So far, I'm liking what I see.

a planner a day keeps the doctor away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm5oirhXl7I

Songs have always been able to change my mood completely, and driving home after Pink Party (Zeta's AMAZING philanthropy event) Friday night, I heard this song and thought..."Wow..what a great song!" A few minutes later, I grew irritated with myself for not remembering the name or artist, then scanned the radio only to find it playing on another station. It's definitely been my song of the week..or weekend, I guess I should say.

This may seem off-topic, but I met with a professor today who gave me a really thought-provoking assignment. He told me to flip through my catalog and find courses that I would take in an ideal environment. My initial thought was to worry about choosing too many classes in one subject, not having the right prerequisites, or scheduling classes when they weren't being offered (BUT this was precisely his point!) When people told me to choose your job based on what I would do for free, I just grew irritated. Last time I checked, no one got paid for eating, spending time with friends and family, or sleeping...but after evaluating my schedule a little closer, I looked at what ELSE I did besides school. :) More details to follow. Y'all, I am SO excited about the changes that are coming in my life.

The last week has held both challenges and rewards. Starting the week off with Forum and THE CIVIL WARS gave a refreshing mental break, which was well-needed to say the least. I've thought and thought about how else to say this, but I've gotten nowhere...so here it is. Ms. Mashburn from Big Brothers, Big Sisters made me leave Forum wanting to be a black male. She told us that she had thirty white female volunteers waiting for someone to be paired with them, but she was in desperate need for black males; this totally discouraged me from thinking I could be a Big Sister for someone this semester. I did love, however, that she graduated from UNA and chose to stay in the Shoals area, and as weird as this sounds, I love when speakers tell me their majors so I can see how a area of concentration in an academic setting parallels to an occupation.

Looking back though, the role of a Big Sister is very similar to my relationship with Lilly, who just happened to count to 38 this week! :) I am seeing such progress, and more importantly (in my personal opinion,) more enthusiasm to learn. As her confidence in her abilities improves, so does her willingness to pay attention to the activities I plan for us each day. She's definitely becoming a highlight of my week.


Even if I feel like I am constantly on-the-go this semester, I've really loved the experiences I've had so far in the semester. I couldn't imagine having better people in my life...God has blessed me! Love y'all! :)

life and the beginning of the lilly project

This past week, I experienced lots of beginnings. If you've been following my blogs or have seen me around campus so far this semester, you've probably noticed that I have been a little overwhelmed or scatterbrained. In the middle of this madness, I woke up one morning to find that I had kicked off a sticky note from the bulletin board beside my bed in my dorm room. On this sticky note, I found three guidelines I had taken in note from a service at Highland Park Baptist last year (that I attended with my friends Kristen Dunn and Elise Cofield!) Written were 1.) Rejoice in YOUR circumstances. 2.) Pray about everything...even the little things. 3.) Trust God's provisions.

These principles seem so simple..and maybe I had just overlooked them before, but over the past few days, I have begun to apply them to my life, and I can't even begin to describe the difference it has made.

In other news, this past week contained both the Honors Program Sadie Hawkins Dance and Homecoming (two events that I definitely enjoyed...here are just a few pictures of the highlights! :)..)

 

In case you don't know the people in the pictures: The top left is Jacob Wallace; he is one of my best friends in the Honors Program and was my date to the Sadie Hawkins Dance! The top right is Lesley Carter and Hailey Boeck; they are my Freshman Forum/ UPC/ Honors Program best friends. The middle left is my Zeta sister and Honors Program best friend Lauren Copeland right before the Homecoming Parade, and the middle right is a picture of new Zeta baby Alex Kelley, my Big Corinne Beckinger, and my Strawberry sister Sam Beckinger at the homecoming game! :) The bottom left is my roommate and best friend Elise Cofield, and the bottom right is new Zeta baby and "Look-a-Like" Sarah Beth Looney, and the picture right above this is my sweet sister, Dana Jacobs, who surprised me by driving over three hours to watch me in the homecoming parade and tailgate with me! I am one lucky girl!

 

 

This week also began my work for my Honors Platform with Lilly, the sweet girl at Kilby Lab School who I am mentoring/tutoring on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Everyone had told me if I found what I should truly be doing for service, I would feel just as moved as the person I was helping; I would be lying to you if I said that I didn't discount that before I met Lilly. Imagine the cutest, sweetest, and most genuine five-year old you've ever met, and I promise that you would've just seen the face of Lilly Patterson. With my fingers crossed, I walked into her classroom Tuesday afternoon, hoping that she would warm up to me and allow me the opportunity to help her learn. Just a few minutes later, she had drawn me pages of animals, different types of foods, and had written my name as well as her own. Using Cinderella as the basis of many of my examples, I learned that all letters must be polka-dotted and the number 8's were just S's that kept going.

 

 

Over the last seven days, I've learned that there is a lot more to college...and to life than class or just making A's. I have so much to be thankful for, and I am INCREDIBLY blessed to be surrounded with the people that I am. Between my own family, the Honors Program, and Zeta Tau Alpha, I have the greatest support system I could ever imagine.

settle down, it'll all be clear.

To begin, I CANNOT get this song out of my head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoRkntoHkIE

Like a stereotypical nerd, I looked over the syllabus before the first Forum and tried to map out the speakers I would enjoy...Since I declared that Success by Six would be a huge part of my platform, I don't guess that it surprises anyone how much I enjoyed Emily Baker's lecture on Monday night.

Probably the most surprising thing we learned Monday night was that the director of Success by Six was only twenty-three. WHAT?! Considering I am going to be twenty in a few months, I seriously cannot imagine being offered a dream job before I graduate college (let's add that to my ever-growing to-do list.)

All of this really brings me to the point I'd like to make with this blog entry, and that is how incredibly THANKFUL I am for the life I am living. This semester finds me a little overwhelmed, but after listening to Mrs. Baker's speech, I realize how privileged my life has been.

Nearly half of America's kindergarteners are behind. Those who come from low-wage families are at least a year or two behind them. Fourth graders without reading skills are not likely to graduate, and seven out of every ten fourth graders can't even read at a basic level. Ninety percent of a child's critical brain development happens by age five. Kids learn through play. A one dollar investment towards every childhood development yields a sixteen dollar return.

All of these statements italicized above came from her lecture that was filled with interesting graphics and an amazing video that really hit home. Coming from the girl who probably cried when she made less than a 9/10 on her Accelerated Reading tests (when I was reading the hardest levels in the library just to earn more points), I really can't imagine not being able to read. I can't fathom not having books when I found it hard to pick out which book I wanted my parents to read to me before bed.

Because of these reasons, I find it hard to NOT want to work with Success by Six..especially when she confessed the organization only had one volunteer. (Being Fundraising Chair of Zeta definitely makes me empathetic to those who need volunteers...) Oh, and in other news, I am officially on schedule to mentor/tutor/help the little girl I talked about in my first blog. After lots of communication between her mother and her teachers, my first session with her will be next Tuesday! YESSSS! :)

Don't mind my little obsession with Success by Six..and expect to hear lots more about them in the future. Oh, and I hope y'all have a good week (considering it's Friday now, I consider that HIGHLY likely.. :) ...)

"We see so many tears turn into smiles."

Before I even begin, I need to form a disclaimer. There is absolutely NO way I could give last week's Honors Forum, the speaker Kay Parker, or her place of volunteerism (The Healing Place) justice. I was already impressed when Dr. Brewton said she had been speaking to Honors Program students for six years AND she was selected as the 2007 Shoals Woman of the Year. I've noticed there are quite a few women in the Shoals area, so that honor spoke volumes (and her speech only solidified it.)

I was enthralled "hook, line, and sinker" when she began by saying she was going to read her speech off of notecards: "I want to be sure I say everything I need and want to say." I was honestly moved more by Mrs. Parker's commitment and fluidity to speak about her faith than anything else presented to me that day. The words and phrases she used throughout her speech were literally too good not to quote, so I'm sorry (you may have heard them already) but here it goes:

"The world is waiting for you to do what you are good at."
"It helps to be crazy. It keeps you from being insane."
 "Forget perfect."
"What would you do for a living if you didn't get paid for it. Dream for a minute."
"Stress, pain, grief? Draw it out. Talk it out. Cry it out. Pray it out." 
"Grief is pain of the heart; it assigns itself to our entire body, not just a leg."
"It's easy to complain about what is wrong."

There honestly could not have been a better week for me to hear this speech. On Monday night, I was still living off the high of the great weekend I had with my family the days before. The words were easy to hear, but I realize that words are just that, easy to say and to hear. It's simple to say that you are going to change, that things are going to be different, or that you are going to refrain from a behavior that dominates your personality. I could have told you Monday night that I would take the words Mrs. Parker used and apply them to my behavior throughout the week, but realistically, I probably wouldn't make it past Tuesday afternoon. Oprah knew her stuff when she said she needed to find someone who would ride with her in the taxi, not just in the limo.

But what good is a speech if you don't apply any of the new material to your life? Mrs. Parker amazed me because she admitted that at moments in her life she cried out to God. She questioned God. Most people don't admit that they question their faith, but she spoke in a sincere and genuine way unmatched by any speaker I have ever heard. By being so open, she established immediate rapport within the room, and I doubt anyone left the room without a good feeling about The Healing Place. It's definitely somewhere I will think about volunteering this semester.

I'll end this with one last quote; it's something that I am pretty sure I paraphrased in my "About Me" section on Facebook that was updated right after I moved to Florence last fall..I love connections...."I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way."

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”

http://youtu.be/F7BivoCx4f0

Clearly, we don't live in central Texas...but the sweet lady in this video explains Success by Six better than I ever could, and the statistics really "hit home." My Comp II English paper was about the correlation between poverty and education levels, so it's crazy how these kind of things blend together.

round two...

Maybe it's just my personality, but as soon as I got comfortable in the routine of freshman year, I already wondered what my next years of college would hold. Having a best friend (and BIG) who is a year older than me allowed me to have the "upper hand" in terms of Honors Forum, but even with the advance notice, the decision of choosing a platform of service seems so...definite.

If you've talked to me in the past year or caught any of my past blog posts, you probably have come to realize that I have been a bit confused on where exactly my life is going (occupationally speaking.) I have always been the kind of person who thrives off of being in control, whether that meant that I had to campaign for an office or I just naturally assumed responsibility for unfinished tasks. Having this borderline obsessive-compulsive mindset, I have found myself in the midst of many service projects I loved...whether it meant tutoring children with learning disabilities at my high school (especially math!), teaching dance to 3, 4, and 5 year olds, participating in disaster relief after recent tornadoes, working a ticket table for a Habitat for Humanity function in my hometown...there are literally too many to name. However, I don't say this to "pat myself on the back," but rather to point out that I never actively searched for service projects...they found me.

Listening to Dr. Brewton  speak about having a plan for service literally left my mind reeling. How could I make a difference? How CAN I make a difference? From the moment I even heard the word "platform," I immediately thought...Child Literacy. I have always been incredibly thankful and honestly a little amazed at how much I truly LOVE school. I have always preferred a book over a ball, and I would absolutely love sharing that with others. Just like I mentioned how the service projects "found me" over the course of my life, I feel like that's happening all over again. With the combination of volunteering with Success by Six through United Way and mentoring the child of one of my favorite professors, I truly feel like I could make a difference...and perhaps this is superficial for me to say, but I am excited it may be a difference I can SEE..or feel.

So, maybe this isn't my final plan for service. Maybe it will change every few weeks (like my major! or my dream occupation!) The final purpose of this post will be to convince myself that it is okay to change my mind so I can adapt and grow.


I, Carrie Elizabeth Bailey, solemnly swear to keep smiling, breathing, and functioning properly if my life does not go precisely according to my detailed, almost perfect plan.