Making the right decision

I never wanted to go to Weber. But everyone I knew was going to Weber. It was expected. It's a fine institution that's affordable and close to five minutes away. There was nothing I disliked about WSU at the time, I just knew without a doubt that I was not meant to be a wildcat.

As a WSU alumni, my dad did his best to persuade me to live at home and eventually become our family's next WSU graduate. As I sat down for dinner one evening, I was greeted by a stack of purple papers, declaring what a fantastic communication program Weber has. I read them, I took it in. I even took a class or two of concurrent enrollment from WSU my senior year. I tried to like Weber, I really did. It just wasn't for me.

As our senior year rolled to a close, my friends and I buzzed with the excited chatter of college life. Even so close to graduation, I had no idea where I would attend school in the fall. I had been accepted to Weber and Utah State, and I visited the campuses of the University of Utah, BYU and Utah Valley University. I was in a constant prayer, it seems, pleading with my Heavenly Father to lead me in the direction I needed to go. But even as I crossed the stage of Ogden High and left its' walls forever, I didn't have an answer.

It was August, I believe, before I finally made the decision to attend Dixie State College. Things didn't fall into place, that's for sure, but I felt somewhat good about it. If you can actually feel good about leaving home and moving across the state, that is.

My mom was supportive of my decision, and she made the trip with me, helping me unpack and taking me to dinner. But all too soon, I was left in St. George, Utah alone, without a car, without a job, and little money to my name.

At the time, I was excited to begin a new life in a new place. Now, I am in awe of my bravery.

What was I thinking? For a girl who usually needs a solid plan to run her life, I don't know how I was comfortable with such a big step, all on my own. I guess I was either really confident, or really stupid. I've been told I'm a very ambitious and self-reliant person. The decision to move my world across the state to create a new life for myself must have taken a huge amount of faith.

When I moved so far away from home, I guess I had come to accept the fact that Heavenly Father wasn't going to drop me a map with my path marked in red ink. Sometimes it is up to us to make a decision and have the faith that everything will work out exactly as it should.

And it has. I was blessed with a scholarship that helped pay for school. I was blessed with people who have influenced and shaped my life. I was blessed with experiences that have caused me to learn and grow.

Maybe He knew I'd make the right decision. Maybe there was no right decision. Maybe I needed to learn that no matter what decision I make in life, He'll still be there.

No matter what.